Old Closet - New Closet

And here it is our new "master bedroom walk in closet." Needs some trim, and still we have to build shelves inside but it's functional. We decided no door since if our bedroom door is closed the closet is open and if the bedroom door is open then you can't see into the closet so it works out great.

The old closet still is there on the right as you can see. It's our temporary 'baby space' equiped with a portable crib, sheets, blankets, and diaper changing stuff. We have started in the baby room... but only so many projects can be done at a time, and with baby not here yet The Lumberjack* is cutting firewood from the woods for this winter.

I was planting flowers today and thinking if I could make enough pottery to be in the Midsummer Celebration the town has on July 11th? Hmmm... also thinking of getting my studio re-set up so I can sell "Pottery-to-Go" kits. Just thinking.

Can't wait to meet baby... decided I can't go out anymore, can't stand to answer all the questions anymore. Tired... waiting.

40 weeks & Eyeball Rattle

40 weeks and no baby.

We took this picture on the way into the clinic this morning... it'll be the last visit (I am hoping, praying, and doing all the other things to make contractions begin).

I am holing up in my house from now until the baby comes. I just can't take the questions anymore, and the advise on what everyone else did to make labor start. I can see the pitty in peoples eyes and it makes me anxious because I am already built that way!

If baby isn't out by the 10th we'll induce.

In the meanwhile, I finished Little Dub's Eyeball Baby Rattle!

In my weird twisted way, I think it's pretty darn cool! I couldn't figure out a way to put on muscle attachments from the eyeball to the optic nerve... without making a choking hazard.

The Cultivator's* best friend and wife have sent gifts that arrived yesterday... very, very cool! Onsies, receiving blankets (never enough, or so I hear) a first aid/health kit for babies and and a DadGear diaper bag which is REALLY AWESOME! I didn't think we'd actually get one! My sister got me a Jeep diaper bag which is really great, but after a few weeks I noticed the lack of pockets on the inside makes my organization worthless... so I bought a 'Roll-n-Go diaper bag organizer' online today (http://www.lafbrand.com/ro.html) which you can convert any bag into a diaper bag, but I just want it for my Jeep bag. Chances that I'll carry more crap than he will is pretty inevitable!

39 Weeks... The Final Countdown

Tradewinds... I've never seen them before but the most interesting flowers so I bought them. The garden is plowed and ready for planting thanks to The Cultivator* No help to me who walks around and does squats to pull thisles out of the yard, but that's about it. I suck!

I started knitting a hat for the Littl' Dub, to match his/her socks. Somehow I put a purl strip in it... but it seems ok, and I am not much of a ripper so will just live with the mistake.

I also bought 4 skeins of yarn since I wasn't sure when I would be back to Monika's next. I love knitting with the ladies on Wednesday's! The Sockina are self striping socks... they are sooooo cool I can't wait to start them! The other yarn next to it are for fingerless gloves, and the baby yarn... well I haven't decided.

With no job and just waiting for baby, I decided to enter the Headwaters Animal Shelter 2010 Photo Contest (for calendar)... I entered the two pictures above of my guys... vote if you live here!!!

I am 39 weeks along:
BPM 140-146 (baby)
60% effaced
1 cm dialated

Things that people say:
"Oh wait until you have heartburn" 9 mos and so far nothing, I am pretty sure the difference is our diets & lifestyle. It seems like everyone projects their least favorite pregnancy symptom on you as if you're pregnancy will be just like theirs was!?

"What have you been craving?" Not sure why it bothers me, I haven't been craving any one thing throughout the pregnancy. I seem to have less tollorance for things I normally enjoy like cauliflower, and for a few weeks I wanted Starbursts which is not my MO for candy... but nothing in particular.

"Is this your first?" Well, duh, do you see any little ones tagging along with me... hmmm, for the past 4 yrs? Ok, granted some people don't know me in this town still. I am just not sure what that question is leading up to, but guessing it's to hear about all their pregnancy/birthing experiences.

"Are you excited?" OMG - You don't get 9 mos pregnant and not be excited to have a baby! What kind of idiotic question is that! No, actually I am giving the child up for adoption to someone more excited! (Just kidding mom, don't pack your bags!). I am excited no one is going to ask me these questions after the baby comes.

"By how high you're carrying I think (or 'my mom would say') it's a girl." Why do people tell you these things? Because they're all experts? Everybody carries babies differently.

People keep telling me I haven't "dropped" but every doctor appointment since March when the baby WAS breech, the doctor has felt the baby's head and it's on my pelvic bone. Oh and trust me I feel it... and the pressure associated with moving my bones. I am not sure where people think the baby will drop to? How much lower than my cervix can it go before it pokes it's head out? Does anyone ever take into consideration the little one is probably LONG since both of us parents are tall? Or that when 'lightning'/'pelvic station' changes occur it may not be noticable since it's a matter of body type?

"Do you know what you're having?" Ok that's a common question, and one I would probably ask too... but I keep saying, only God knows! I think after you hit a certain number of months we just need to wear a pin that says, "I DON'T KNOW!" It answers it all! I don't know what the sex is, so no I haven't picked out a name either. I don't know much anymore because I get so little sleep and the baby is sucking all my glycogen stores. I don't know what I am going to do since I was laied off... I am guessing a lot of breastfeeding. I don't know if I should if I will stay in the technical field or make a career change.

No epidural for me! Found out Doctor said 'no can do' because medical concerns. I was planning natural but guess that really puts breaks on any alternatives. The only total bummer is if I have to have a C-section it means they have to put me completely out. No use worrying about it now, I have a "can do it natural" attitude and also an open mind knowing I will chose what is best for both baby and me... and so will Baby's Daddy*

NEXT project: In spite of having made the 4 baby rattles that I am selling on Etsy... I didn't want to give my baby any of those rattles but rather something more 'original' and my style if you will. I came up with it last night. Baby rattle will be an eyeball on the optic nerve... how neat will that be! Well I think so and so does Baby's Daddy* so guess that's all that matters.

38 Weeks

It's the waiting game now. The baby's heart beat has been normal. Still we have no name for the child, and of course we are waiting to find out the sex.

Socks for Baby

My first knitted socks from the Jelly-Bean pattern. I think they turned out really cute, and can't wait to put them on Baby-Schermie... or course I can hardly wait for the little one at all!

My last day of work was today... it's all about baby for the next 3-4 months. Then we'll see what life has in store for the family. My goodness how things can be turned upside down in 1 hour.

Which brings me back to GARDENING... All the work I did last year to take out the rocks and put in mulch and pretty perenials was a wasted effort because the chickens enjoy the dirt baths and not so much the mulch. So they push all the mulch out into the grass, which means daily raking. So my answer to this is raised flower bed with a little fence around it. Planning on pulling the cedar bushes, I am allergic to them anyhow... and any other brush then moving some rail road ties into place this week. I'll slowly add rock and dirt, until I can find a little fence that isn't to spendy and will keep the chickens from sitting on top (so some little spikes would be nice). Then back to the planting!

Friday fun...

I reassembled the baby mobile and added Wendel the book worm to balance the Saturn and butterfly... I love it now.

We're having fun watching the Penelope singing "Here Coming Peter Cotton Tail"

Gerry & Pops have been working on a master bedroom closet... should be done tomorrow.

Posting for mom

This will probably be the ONLY time I expose my belly.

I am now 32 weeks along, and I didn't realize how huge I was until I passed a full length mirror Thrusday. It honestly occurred over night, or at most in the last 3-5 days!

The baby's heart rate is 133 bpm and on Tuesday his head was down I feel little fingers move low at the bottom of my tummy.

I am pretty swollen all over, but surprizingly I've only gained 10 lbs. So either 10 lbs of pure baby (blood, ambiotic fluid, etc...) or I've lost weight baby/pregnancy weight is higher.

As distrubing the baby movements are it is very comforting at the same time to know that all things are going well inside me. A true miracle.

Now just to pick names.

A fine Tuesday

The little Baby Shower gift turned out pretty darn cute!

The couple doesn't want to know what they are having. I've had a rough time finding neutral sexed baby items.

So opted for a simple gift:
Set of Socks (6-12 mos)
A JitteryPal Lion
A personal mug

I was going for the lion running in the tall grass with flowers (even though roses don't grow like that)?

But anyway you look at it... it's cute.


Ah and the best news ever, a sink is installed! Everything is up and running except the hook up to the drains, but that will be done before today is over.

The sink is almost bigger than the bathtub, but I love it. makes the toilet look dwarfed, but who needs to look at the toilet! Once the new flooring is down it won't overtower as much. And of course when the rest of the room is taped, spackeled and painted... it won't stand out so much.

U/S 28 Weeks - Our Baby's Face

It's just amazing how quickly the little one is growing! And roughly 10-12 weeks before I can hold the baby in my arms. Wow, I'm going to be a Mommy.

I honest to God didn't think this experience would ever be mine to have, and I am so in awe of the grace of God to let me have this personal experience.

Having said that... OUCH, my ribs & chest muscles are killing me!

Off to collect over 3K Girl Scout cookies for our troop! Gesh, last time for me unless we have a girl... and even then who knows, maybe she'll want to be in 4-H instead.

Something for Baby

So far in all 26 weeks of pregnancy I haven't made anything for our own baby! I had intended to make a baby mobile for quite some time, but wanted to make it using some natural wood from our woods, but it's been too cold and after the melt too awkward to meander through deep snow pregnant. Plus I would have to dry it and figure out how to check for bugs, then seal it... all which can't be great chemicals to be huffin' while preggo.

Then a couple weeks ago I came across this "photograph mobile" and though it would be perfect. It's probably a bit busy looking from this angle, but when laying under it it's pretty simple with lots of nice colors. It's not quite done, I still need to balance some of the heavier arms like the one opposite Saturn, and the one opposite the butterfly. Later as the baby sits-up and up I can take some of the layers off so it's not reachable... and I can redo any part of it that I get sick of! Something I couldn't do with a store purchased mobile.

We've been playing the baby classical music that The Violinist* picked out when the baby's ears were supposed to have deleloped (so the books say). It's pretty cool, the baby moves most during the violin concertos and piano sonatas... so it either loves it or hates it, who knows? In any case, I figured it would be better to get a set of speakers for the iPod than a classical (Einstein) baby mobile since the baby is already use to the music we've been playing it, the selection is more diverse, and because I ran across this pretty cool Munchkin iCrib, and not for a bad price either!

Well that's about it... progress in bathroom is pretty great, almost ready for a sink (faucet problems), and I am working on the library this week. My intension is that while the baby is small enough to be in our room the library is the warmest room in the house and it will be comfortable for feeding/bonding time. Then sometime after we pick up borrowed stuff from my sister we'll finishe the baby room.

6 Months

I feel rather large but it's all becoming more fun. Kicking Pony* moves around all the time, it's quite alien. I listened to all my pregnant friends and family and I don't think I truly understood what a craving was until this past week. Starbursts! I've never in my life liked them or purchased them (except once for The Cultivator*), now I am in possession of a to go package and a 1 lb bag!

The Cultivator* has been able to feel Kicking Pony* too... which makes it more exciting for me, so I don't feel like I am in it alone. We've been enjoying the i-Pod loaded with music for the baby who can hear all the classical artists, and moves around a little when it's playing.

New Year's Ice Fishing 2009

While at a local Fleet Farm store I was doing my usual "lets look at and sit in every Ice Fishing Shelter on the sales floor routine" (which I do every year since we've been in Minnesota). My first year on the ice was a windy and miserable experience... I just knew someday I would invest in one of these. As we worked our way in a circle around to the final 6 person shelter I started to really to get attached to it. The Fisherman* and I read about how it goes up and down and we were really impressed. Ok, I am easy... it's like a double dome, and everyone knows my dream of owning a dome home! At some point I told The Fisherman* that I wasn't leaving the store without this particular fishing shelter. Of course he's an easy sale on outdoor equipment... so we took one home.

The next day we performed a test run in the living room... with the Christmas tree poking through the shelter door, and the animals (2 dogs and 1 cat) coming inside to approve of their new napping space! We proceeded to make plans for New Years ice fishing, a tradition I keep trying to start. We packed up and took Ezekiel with us. Spending the evenings in the cabin and day on the ice. The Fisherman* caught 5, some which got tossed back, Ezekiel caught 1 before he missed his xbox360 enough to go home, and I caught 2 keepers. A good start to a New Year in my book.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the fishing dogs! Sticking their face in every ice hole, and pawing at the slush, eating ice chunks... we thought it their chasing cast lures off the dock was a 'fetching' type reaction, but seems to be that they just enjoy the sport!

Christmas 2008

This one is for the 'Rents:
It was a quiet Christmas with me, my sister and her children (9 yrs & 23 mos). She had to endure the hourly wake up calls at 3AM by her son who barely hung in there until 7AM to open his Christmas gifts. This year all the gifts were stored on top of a cabinet so that they were not picked up, shaken, weighed in, and guessed. Ezekiel is pretty clever and can guess almost by size and shape of the box! It wasn't until about 10AM that Penelope woke up. She seemed to care less about the even, until she had her first taste of unwrapping the gifts. She neatly tore a piece of paper and set it neatly in a pile next to her (oh boy, if that doesn't scream Auntie Cat then nothing does!) She went through all her presents like molasses on a cold day, even using her teeth to tear small bits. She loves clothes like her mom does!

Later that night The Runaway* came home, and carved the turkey I made for Christmas dinner. It was a pretty uneventful dinner... and I learned to check both sides of the bird for giblets (after I cooked them)!

19 week baby u/s

We had our last ultrasound (19.6 weeks) yesterday. We still agreed to not find out if it's a boy or a girl, but we did find out all the important things like he/she has 2 arms with all the proper bones (humorous, radius, ulna), 2 legs with all the proper bones (femur, tibia, fibula), 4 chambers in the heart that are pumping 140 bpm, an intact spine all internal to his/her body, kidneys, and a bladder which was full of the water I had recently drank; And we saw his/her lips which appeared to be intact without a cleft pallet. Of course the belly, head and brain lobes were intact too... a perfect little baby. And she let us watch the little one move around for a few minutes while it was rubbing it's eyes and nose with it's little hands. Baby was measured and we were told the little one is 11 oz, which is right on target according to the doctor.

To My Friend

There are a thousand tears being shed for you today, followed by a million smiles from the memories we share. I am selfishly sad that I no longer have your earthly companionship, and at the same time I am so glad that you are not a prisoner of pain. You're a warrior, and a true champion of living life to it's fullest.

I was working at 3 AM, for this thankless employer who I swear is the 'Root Cause' of illness... I was feeling sad that you are leaving. I didn't have enough time to find RDA on a lake so that we could fish with him, or at least snap a few photos.

The snow is falling in Minnesota and it reminds me of our conversation last winter, the snowflake fairies... and then I visualized you flying above the farm along with the snowflakes, floating so gracefully as a in life's most amazing ballet.

I was fortunate enough to make a Road Trip to Ruidoso with you last December. To see your childhood home, and the street named after your father was impressive. You’re funny and passionate stories of construction on the little white house, and your Mescalero school days.

It was in New Mexico that I also got to really see how hard this battle has been for you, and yet to see your compassion for others who are experiencing their own illness when you are knee deep in your own.

You will always remain in my memories as the fun-loving, adventurous, loud music listening, compassionate, dedicated friend... and the only good that came from my Corporate America employment!

I want you to know how much I loved our friendship and your unconditional understanding when life separated us for too long! I also want you to know the regrets I have for not dropping everything to come spend time with you this year.

I will miss our 3 hour conversations about everything under the sun in no particular order skipping from one topic to the next and back again, and you never once complained about my inability to organize my conversations.

Felting 4 Sale

It's been nearly a month since I have posted anything. We are now 14 weeks along, and I've been having the regular pregnancy M/S, plus the cold that keeps going around my house (sister's kids). I've been working a lot of hours and when I am not doing that I've been felting the cute baby rattles above that I finally got posted for sale on Etsy. Of course I've been doing some pottery also, but mostly commission work.

We spent Thanksgiving with the in-laws in Minneapolis, we had car troubles on the way down... it's good to be married to a gear-head. After a quick stop, and some Doritos we were back on the road.

A new felter...

I spent most of Sunday felting... finished an Single Scoop Ice Cream Cone, posted in Etsy now... then my Sis and I were felting rings. It was her first time, and I see that I've created another addict! I didn't get pictures of her rings but they were cute, she embellished them with beads (she has more patience than I do).

Fun stuff.

10 week baby u/s

I am feeling a bit alien to myself.

Where did my ambition go?

Black Power Day

Teasingly I asked if he had fun 'playing' with his brother who had come up for a night and a day to camp and shoot his old, expensive, black powder riffle. They seemed to have fun target shooting and hatchet throwing.

His brother is into the "Rendezvous" and has made an old fashion canvas tent, with an all wood table and bench, and all sorts of other old school stuff. It does seem like fun... of course Little Brother* is on his own if he wants to rendezvous with his brother. I just can't imagine another hobby, especially one in which women would be tent side cooking while the guys have the hunting/shooting experience... no fair.

Dog Nap

I've been so busy with work and life that I seem to post less and less, and so tired that I misplaced my sense of humor and wit! I am not the only one though! Gromit here has been sleeping in the hallway well for most of his life as I work at my desk everyday, where the traffic was minimal between The Hub* and myself.

But since my Little Sis & her babies moved in he's been a little worn thin, and he seems to be a bit sad.

Anyhow, I had a headache and invited him into my office where we were closing the door to begin work for the day and he came right in and curled up on this old chair! It's the funniest thing because he's a BIG Chocolate Lab, weighing in at 90 lbs, tall and long. He's never been allowed on furniture, unless I am alone for the night then the guys sleep with me. The way he walked to the chair and crawled in was like he'd been doing it everyday of his life since he was a pup, and if this wasn't the biggest over sized chair ever in existence from the 1940's he'd never have fit!