Nursery Sneek Peak!

Check back this weekend for the full nursery reveal!

Some more baby crafts

My sewing machine has definitely been getting a workout lately, I can promise you that! Now that school is out and I have free time coming out my ears, I've been trying to keep myself busy with projects (and lots of naps). Here are some of my latest and greatest:

First up, the car seat canopy. Nothing says you better keep your hands off of my kid or I cut you like a car seat canopy. It will not only ward off handsy strangers, but it will inform the world that my baby is indeed a girl, keep the sun off her, and let her sleep when we take her in somewhere.

Next is the nursing shawl/hooter hider/udder cover/euphemism for boobs combined with cover synonym. Since this little one will be eating from the tap, I thought it might be best to have something to make her mealtimes a little more discreet when we are out, since I have no intention of going to hide somewhere other than the closest comfy chair. (And if you think women should take their babies into the bathroom to feed them, go eat your Big Mac sitting on the pot and then come talk to me. Yuck!)

Here is a close-up of the pattern. Yes, it is birds. But birds are me, what can I say?

And lastly we have something to further the beanette's education. Not one, not two, but THREE new books to add to her collection. Aunt Penny and I scoured Hobby Lobby and Joanns to find some cute fabric book patterns to no avail. But lo and behold, it was Wally World where we hit the jackpot! We snagged a book of nursery rhymes, ABCs, and Cinderella. Instead of just making them plain and boring, I added loops of ribbon and some of the pages are filled with that crinkly plastic that makes a lot of noise. It's all about the multi-sensory experience.

But this post would not be complete without highlighting the latest daddy craft. James built this awesome bookcase to house her growing collection of board books. He mounted it to the wall strong enough that the beanette will be able to use it as a chin-up bar in the future if she decides she needs to work on building up her guns.

The Nursery Floor is Missing!

Call the cops because someone stole the baby's floor!

Ok, so maybe I know where the floor is. Right now, it's in a pile in our driveway. My darling husband and conspirators (aka: friends) are currently installing wood flooring in all the carpeted areas of our house, including the nursery. Our previous carpet was old and torn up and not suitable for the cats, let alone a baby, to lay on. I will, of course, post an update when the new floors are in and the furniture has returned from the yard.

One nursery update that remains while the floor is MIA are these shelves we hung last weekend.

We bought a couple of pictures from Etsy and I made the framed E, tossed in a couple stuffed animals and, ta da! Cute shelves!

Yesterday also marks the beginning of my 34th week, for which I have a photo to mark the occasion. I'm feeling pretty good overall other than the typical aches and pains. Sleeping could be better, but it could be worse too.

Dear Baby,

You are over 7 months old today. Or, at least, I have known you that long. And I do feel like I know you even though we haven't actually met yet. I know when you wake up and when you like to rest. I know the way your tiny feet like to press against me and remind me that you are there. I know which songs make you dance and wiggle.

But there are still so so many things that I am still waiting, anxiously, to learn about you. Will you have my eyes? Will you have your daddy's nose? What will your personality be like? What will you like to do? What kind of little girl will you become?

The last 7 months seem like a constant stream of waiting. Waiting to find out if that little test was correct. Waiting to hear your heartbeat. Waiting to feel you move. Waiting to find out if I had a son or a daughter. Now, all that's left is just waiting for you, and that is the hardest one of all.

It's possible you could safely be here in less than a month now. I could only have 4 weeks left until I get to count your little fingers and toes and share with the world everything that just you and me had been sharing. That excites me unbelievably, but at the same time, I don't want it to happen. I want to keep you just for me. I don't want to have to share you.

I will do my best to keep you safe. I will love you as hard as I can. You are already loved, and cherished, and I am getting ready to meet you when you are ready.

Nursery Crafting

This past weekend, I spent my time crafting up some things for the Beanette. I made a little birdy mobile styled after one I was lusting for on Etsy that cost $150. My cost? Just under 10 clams. I just had to buy an embroidery hoop, beads, and string. I had everything else on hand. The fabric was a mess-up of the fabric I ordered from Spoonflower. They reprinted and reshipped the right stuff, but I figured I shouldn't just waste the mistake. Here is what I came up with:

Then I started work on the crib skirt. It was remarkably easy. I basically just hemmed around a giant piece of fabric then attached it to the mattress frame with velcro. Easy-peasy!

Next up is the crib bumpers. I got all the pieces cut last night, but its going to be next week before I have a chance to do any more work to it. Wish me luck!

Talking to a Pregnant Women 101

It has come to my attention that most people have no clue what are appropriate and inappropriate things to say to a pregnant woman. It seems that most people lose all sense of tact and respect that they would typically employ for any other person. This seems very bizarre to me considering pregnant women are on a 9 month hormonal rollercoaster ride and even the most mild annoyances make us burst into tears. You would think people would want to avoid that.

"Are you having twins???"
What you are really saying: "You look so gigantic I just can't imagine you only have 1 baby in there. You need to seriously lay off the ice cream!"

In what space-time dimensions is it ok for perfect strangers to comment on someones weight or size? It's rude people and makes me want to cry when you ask. No, I am not having twins. If I was, I would have told you when you asked if it was a boy or girl.
Other inappropriate comments in this category "You look huge for X months." "Hope you are ready to have a giant baby!" "You look much further along." "You will never make it to your due date."
Alternative acceptable comment: "You look wonderful!"

"My friend/sister/mom/cousin/friend of my mom's sister's cousin had the most terrible labor and then the baby almost DIED!!!!"
What you are really saying: "I'm going to try to scare the bejesus out of you for no reason other than my own amusement."

Newsflash! I have to give birth to this baby regardless of what you tell me, so telling me terrifying stories about labor really isn't helpful. Would you tell someone about to get in the car to go the store about your friend who had a fatal collision on her way to the store? No, you wouldn't because its pointless and only going to freak them out. Save your terrible birth stories for a non-pregnant woman.
Other inappropriate comments in this category: "A baby is going to ruin your life." "Labor is the most excruciating experience ever and you'll never do it without drugs."
Alternative acceptable comment: "Babies are wonderful and worth every bit of discomfort to get them here."

"Can I touch your belly?"
What you are really saying: "Can I pop your personal space bubble and rub my hands on your itchy stomach?"

First off, I do appreciate this person for at least asking first, but it hard for me to graciously decline without sounding rude myself, but hey, I've gotta do what I gotta do. Stangers especially, hands off! (I'm looking at you creepy lady in the cruise terminal bathroom) When did my body become public property, I don't know. For me personally, there are 3 categories of people who can ask to touch my belly : 1) the person who got the baby in there, 2) immediate family, and 3) very close friends. Be aware that if you are not in one of those categories and you try to touch me, you may pull back a bloody stump.
Other inappropriate comments in this category: Touching without even asking first.
Alternative acceptable comment: Say nothing unless you are in one of the aforementioned categories.

"Was the baby planned?"
What you are really saying: "Did you and your husband intentionally have unprotected sex or did your birth control fail?"

It shocks me to no end that people, strangers even, ask me this. Asking about the conception of my child is a little personal, don't you think?
Other inappropriate comments in this category: "Where you trying?" "Did you have any help?"
Alternative acceptable comment: "I'm so happy for you!"

"Are you going to eat that?"
What you are really saying: "I read on the interwebz/heard from someone that pregnant women aren't supposed to eat ______. Are really so ignorant that you don't know that too?!"

I'm a smart cookies and I am well aware of all the foods and activities that I am supposed to avoid when pregnant. I am also well aware of the acceptable limits of many other foods like fish, caffeine, and deli meat. Are you? Along these same lines, stop telling me what I can't do. I am perfectly capable of lifting a 10 pound bag of whatever so don't have a conniption fit when I do.
Other inappropriate comments in this category: Anything that begins with "You aren't supposed to..."
Alternative acceptable comment: "Can I get you anything else?"

*These are all comments that people have actually said to me personally. If you are as shocked and abhorred at people as I am, pat yourself on the back because you are a respectful person.

Nursery Progress

We got so much done on the nursery this weekend and I am super psyched at how it is coming together.

Paint-check
Finish dresser-check
Move in all the furniture-check
DIY a cornice box-check
Make some art-check

It doesn't look like as much in list format, but I assure the progress is notable. Take a look!

The dresser we bought at a resale shop for a steal for a solid wood piece of furniture. It had the old fashion ornate brass handles, a decorate cut-out bottom, and was a honey oak color. Solid construction, but not my design aesthetic. I forgot to take some true before shots of it, but here it is in progress:

And after:

We gave it new knobs, a new piece of bottom trim, and a fresh coat of white paint to match the crib. It isn't shiny like the pictures though. That's from the camera's flash.

While the room is still pretty bare bones, I arranged some stuff on top of the dresser so you can see the character of what I have in mind for the room.

Isn't it adorable!! I hope that our little girl will love it as much as I do. And if you look closely, you can catch a hint to that little girl's real name.

And today I am 30 weeks, so here is my 30 week belly shot. That face is how I felt after all the work this weekend.