..without a newborn in my life?
Pretty crazy to contemplate.. I've been pondering a lot the last few days about what is to come, etc. etc., as I'm sure most women, pregnant or not, do. Is it just me or does everyone go through different random stages of hormonal emotionalness right before they're about to have a baby? The past couple weeks have been one wild rollercoaster of me feeling super excited and anxious one day to petrified the next.
A few days ago, it actually hit me that I'm having a baby. A precious little newborn of our very own to raise and love and teach. So exciting and yet anxiety-attack-causing at the same time. I think feeling like I wasn't prepared was the biggest thing and I'm hoping that that is a normal feeling. I don't know how you could totally prepare for your lives to change so drastically, but if you have any tips, my ears are open!!
This brings me to my latest activities..
Pretty crazy to contemplate.. I've been pondering a lot the last few days about what is to come, etc. etc., as I'm sure most women, pregnant or not, do. Is it just me or does everyone go through different random stages of hormonal emotionalness right before they're about to have a baby? The past couple weeks have been one wild rollercoaster of me feeling super excited and anxious one day to petrified the next.
A few days ago, it actually hit me that I'm having a baby. A precious little newborn of our very own to raise and love and teach. So exciting and yet anxiety-attack-causing at the same time. I think feeling like I wasn't prepared was the biggest thing and I'm hoping that that is a normal feeling. I don't know how you could totally prepare for your lives to change so drastically, but if you have any tips, my ears are open!!
This brings me to my latest activities..
Bird watching..
Okay, so I lied.. I've been "nesting," as I've heard it called, up a storm over the last while. Trying to get all the last minute details smoothed, from nursing supplies to nursery decorations and sewing carseat canopies to scrubbing floors, has been a ride that's for sure. Coming home from work each night feeling like I had so much to get done and so much to get sparkling clean and not enough time to do it or simply not knowing when I was going to go in to labor was not the funnest feeling in the world.
It seems like now we're just playing the waiting game with 10 days til my due date and my doctor saying that I'm progressing fast and well. At my appointment two weeks ago, the first time he checked me, I had barely progressed at all. He said that I really didn't have a whole lot going on but this past week, on Monday, he said that she had definitely dropped and I had thinned a ton, about 90 or 95% and that I had dilated to between a 1 and a 2 (can you say dilated on a blog?) He said that he endorses her to come anytime and that from what he can tell she's around 7 lbs, so we'll see about that. I know it's hard to get a super accurate portrayal of how big they are this far along but he said that if she came anytime that it looks like all would be well, which is great news.
So what have I been up to being 9 months pregnant? I know I'm sure you're all sick of me posting about sewing but apparently that's one of my big hobbies lately that I sure hope I'll be able to keep up after I have her. Some of the things that I've been able to get done the past couple weeks include:
Pads for this Moses basket that my sweet mom found for her to stay by our bedside for the first couple of weeks.. We're obviously not quite sure as to how the sleeping arrangement is going to be but at least we have options now right? :)
This is a carseat canopy. They currently sell in boutiques and online for right around $40 so I decided to experiment and make one myself. To learn more about the functionality and if you wanted to buy one, check out their website (or if you wanted to have a sewing party, I would be happy to make them for people or show them how :)
This is a brilliant idea I got from Breklyn and her sister-in-law. It's a carseat blanket with slits and a hole cut in it for the carseat straps to go through, that way you can leave it in the carseat, put your baby in, and swaddle them up instead of just tucking a blanket around them, awesome eh?
I made a couple baby buntings since she'll be just a wee little one in the dead of winter. You can't really see from the picture but they're the kind you can put over what the baby's already wearing and zip it up to keep them all nice and toasty :)
So Breklyn is amazing and makes these "hooter hiders" to use as covers while you're nursing. They're awesome because they have the adjustable strap around your neck and a strip of plastic in the front so that you can see the baby but nobody else can see in :) I decided to give making one a try so that I could have one in the wash and one with me, thanks Brek!!
I don't think I've ever really blogged about my work but I work for an awesome company with absolutely fantastic people! My sweet coworkers and the nurses at my facility threw me a baby shower a couple weeks ago and they have this great system that they've worked out where everyone pitches in money and one person goes out and gets everything.
Many thanks to Jen who went and got pretty much everything I still needed, from a bouncer to a Boppy, outfits to a memory book. It was so nice of everyone and everything was so stinkin' cute!! I am so blessed to work where I work and that they are letting me come back part time and working around my schedule so that I hardly ever have to worry about a babysitter and get to still be with my baby most of the time, I am so grateful!!
Yesterday, I was over at my mom's house to get some things done, including the Moses basket and getting my toenails painted considering I definitely cannot reach them anymore (many thanks to my sis, Kate). She went into her room and brought out this gorgeous quilt that she had had her c0-counselor (who is a very serious, avid quilter) quilt for me. I just absolutely love it and had no idea that she did that so it was a huge fantastic surprise!!
The back side of the quilt is that super soft, minky type fabric, these pictures just don't do all the little intricate details of the quilt justice!
Basically, this quilt puts the other quilts that I made to shame!! I wish I knew how to piece quilts, anybody know how? I would absolutely love to learn!! Oh and to learn how to crochet around blankets and bibs, any takers on a swap night where we all teach each other how to do different things? :)
Well, if anyone's still reading this insanely long post, wish me luck as I head into the final few days before my due date. I don't know about other people, but I really do love hearing about other people's labor stories and experiences. Being able to learn about different scenarios and things that can happen has been really helpful to me to prepare mentally, physically, emotionally, etc. so any final words of wisdom? I would love to pick apart all of your brains and listen to all of your stories :) so, please, share to your heart's content!!
P.S. And to those who have requested pictures of the nursery, they are totally on their way, I just have one more thing that needs to get put up courtesy of my very talented friend, Shanda, and I just wanted it to be as complete as it could before I posted pictures :)
Okay, so I lied.. I've been "nesting," as I've heard it called, up a storm over the last while. Trying to get all the last minute details smoothed, from nursing supplies to nursery decorations and sewing carseat canopies to scrubbing floors, has been a ride that's for sure. Coming home from work each night feeling like I had so much to get done and so much to get sparkling clean and not enough time to do it or simply not knowing when I was going to go in to labor was not the funnest feeling in the world.
It seems like now we're just playing the waiting game with 10 days til my due date and my doctor saying that I'm progressing fast and well. At my appointment two weeks ago, the first time he checked me, I had barely progressed at all. He said that I really didn't have a whole lot going on but this past week, on Monday, he said that she had definitely dropped and I had thinned a ton, about 90 or 95% and that I had dilated to between a 1 and a 2 (can you say dilated on a blog?) He said that he endorses her to come anytime and that from what he can tell she's around 7 lbs, so we'll see about that. I know it's hard to get a super accurate portrayal of how big they are this far along but he said that if she came anytime that it looks like all would be well, which is great news.
So what have I been up to being 9 months pregnant? I know I'm sure you're all sick of me posting about sewing but apparently that's one of my big hobbies lately that I sure hope I'll be able to keep up after I have her. Some of the things that I've been able to get done the past couple weeks include:
Pads for this Moses basket that my sweet mom found for her to stay by our bedside for the first couple of weeks.. We're obviously not quite sure as to how the sleeping arrangement is going to be but at least we have options now right? :)
This is a carseat canopy. They currently sell in boutiques and online for right around $40 so I decided to experiment and make one myself. To learn more about the functionality and if you wanted to buy one, check out their website (or if you wanted to have a sewing party, I would be happy to make them for people or show them how :)
This is a brilliant idea I got from Breklyn and her sister-in-law. It's a carseat blanket with slits and a hole cut in it for the carseat straps to go through, that way you can leave it in the carseat, put your baby in, and swaddle them up instead of just tucking a blanket around them, awesome eh?
I made a couple baby buntings since she'll be just a wee little one in the dead of winter. You can't really see from the picture but they're the kind you can put over what the baby's already wearing and zip it up to keep them all nice and toasty :)
So Breklyn is amazing and makes these "hooter hiders" to use as covers while you're nursing. They're awesome because they have the adjustable strap around your neck and a strip of plastic in the front so that you can see the baby but nobody else can see in :) I decided to give making one a try so that I could have one in the wash and one with me, thanks Brek!!
I don't think I've ever really blogged about my work but I work for an awesome company with absolutely fantastic people! My sweet coworkers and the nurses at my facility threw me a baby shower a couple weeks ago and they have this great system that they've worked out where everyone pitches in money and one person goes out and gets everything.
Many thanks to Jen who went and got pretty much everything I still needed, from a bouncer to a Boppy, outfits to a memory book. It was so nice of everyone and everything was so stinkin' cute!! I am so blessed to work where I work and that they are letting me come back part time and working around my schedule so that I hardly ever have to worry about a babysitter and get to still be with my baby most of the time, I am so grateful!!
Yesterday, I was over at my mom's house to get some things done, including the Moses basket and getting my toenails painted considering I definitely cannot reach them anymore (many thanks to my sis, Kate). She went into her room and brought out this gorgeous quilt that she had had her c0-counselor (who is a very serious, avid quilter) quilt for me. I just absolutely love it and had no idea that she did that so it was a huge fantastic surprise!!
The back side of the quilt is that super soft, minky type fabric, these pictures just don't do all the little intricate details of the quilt justice!
Basically, this quilt puts the other quilts that I made to shame!! I wish I knew how to piece quilts, anybody know how? I would absolutely love to learn!! Oh and to learn how to crochet around blankets and bibs, any takers on a swap night where we all teach each other how to do different things? :)
Well, if anyone's still reading this insanely long post, wish me luck as I head into the final few days before my due date. I don't know about other people, but I really do love hearing about other people's labor stories and experiences. Being able to learn about different scenarios and things that can happen has been really helpful to me to prepare mentally, physically, emotionally, etc. so any final words of wisdom? I would love to pick apart all of your brains and listen to all of your stories :) so, please, share to your heart's content!!
P.S. And to those who have requested pictures of the nursery, they are totally on their way, I just have one more thing that needs to get put up courtesy of my very talented friend, Shanda, and I just wanted it to be as complete as it could before I posted pictures :)
17 comments:
Good luck!! I didn't know you were so handy with a needle and thread! Good for you!
Steph I'm so super excited for you! Someday, when I move back up north I am totally up for a crafty project night. You are very talented...but when are you going to have time with a new cute baby around? We'll see what happens. I love ya and pray that all will go well with your delivery. I can't wait to meet the newest member of your family!
I hate to say it but I really really pray that this is your last post as a free person too! Come on baby! Saying I'm excited is an understatement!
Your creations are amazing and you weren't kidding about the quilt. Now I'll have to hire you to help me with all my silly baby stuff. You are going to be such an amazing mom!
I mainly wanted to post today to tell you that I gave you until the 15th to go into labor...and that is today! I might give you a three day grace period or something if you can make this baby come out though!
I still cannot beileve your are having a baby..the first out of the 'sparkles'! Gook luck with everything and I hope you and bbaby are healthy!
wow girl you are so crafty.. I love it! Im super jealous i wish I was! good luck, we are ver excited for the new bambina!
Hey Steph! I am so glad that I found your blog. Congrats on the baby. How exciting. You look so cute. How about that talent you have. I am totally jealous:) I can't wait to see pictures of that little sweetie...Good luck, it will be great!
Oh Steph, I wish I could sew like you!! You're my idol. Seriously!! Those are all such darling & great ideas. That quilt is totally gorgeous- what a sweet gift! I can't wait to see the nursery :)
Cute cute baby stuff. Crazy you only have a few more days left as just you and Sky. I can teach you how to crochet around the baby blankets. I'm definitely not a pro but I can teach you what I know :O) Also they have a crocheting class that meets at Ben Franklin once a week. It's a bunch of grandma's but it's kind of funny to go and they can show you different stitches. Let me know!
I'm so excited for you. Oh how your lives are going to change, but don't worry its a good change. I can't wait to meet her. She is going to be so stinking cute. Call me if you ever need anything.
Wow you're sure getting close! Your work is aweseome!
That is a beautiful quilt!
As far as labor and such goes, just keep in mind that the vast majority of the time, first babies have a longer labor than second or third babies. Take advantage of sleeping as much as you can now, even naps, cuz that will all change soon. Yea, the end is in sight! And then your world will change-definately for the better!
Steph you are so talented! I love everything you've made. I think I'm going to have to get me a hooter hider one of these days :) I keep waiting for a text that says you had her, I can't wait!
Hey, I just made my blog private-so if you want to read it email me at kalynnej@yahoo.com!
Oh my... you're getting so close. I wouldn't be surprised if you had randomly popped by the time I wrote this! That's so exciting! And just like what Mollie said... you seriously are my idol with the sewing. I can't believe you made all of that stuff! First of all, I need a sewing machine. Secondly... I need to have some mad skills! You're amazing. You might have to show me how to make that baby stuff or I might just have to buy one from you! Good luck with everything! You'll do great!!
OMFC! (Oh my freaking crap) YOU ARE GOING TO BE A MOM! I can't wait to see her little sweatie face! You are too talented miss! I am jealous and you are for sure going to have to show me how to make cool things like that for my baby, when it happens! :)
You will be a fabulous mom, and you're so prepared! I wish you the best!
It was good seeing you today! I hope you get feeling better soon!
Steph, I'm impressed. You're so talented! Best of luck with all the exciting things happening with your family.
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