a little inspiration

On her first day she met all of her grandmas.  One by one they came.  Morai, of course, was here from the beginning, then Nana and finally Oma.  How lucky could a girl be?  Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Justin came too.  Emerson brought everyone in and sang  happy birthday.  Sara came back in the evening just to reconfirm that a baby had been born.  It had all happened so fast!   On her second day she visited the doctor and got the diagnosis of, "She looks beautiful and healthy!"  Then we stopped by Whole Foods and caused many sighs and gasps.   On day three we went and got her blood work done.  She cried and screamed while they were squeezing her foot and then passed out as soon as they wrapped her foot up in gauze.  She shows a distinct preference for having her feet covered at all times.  Socks are best, footed sleepers are okay.  Bare is unacceptable.   She sleeps and sleeps, through noise a...

I’d had a few nights where I really thought she was coming with gentle contractions forming distinct patterns and continuing for hours at a time.  The previous Saturday when I saw my midwife, Sara, she thought I really looked like I was in early labor and expected to get called back that night.  So when I was still pregnant the following Saturday we talked over my previous birth and how I’d never really gone into labor myself.  She offered me the option of taking some cotton root bark the next time I had contractions to help things move along into a more active pattern.  Something that if my body was as ready as she believed it was would help my body commit.  After having such a confusing week I thought it sounded pretty good. That evening I began having contractions again, stronger than before so I went ahead with the cotton root.  It was also the night of the full moon, called the Wolf Moon by Native Americans and it was bright as a street light shining...

So, there is this guy I know- He is kind and patient and tolerant.  He is loving and thoughtful.  He does so much for us and we almost never give him his own time without throwing in some little task for him.  But he doesn't often complain.  He rubs my back even when his hurts too.  He takes over for me when he comes home, even though E is at his hardest in those hours.  He loses his patience and then goes back for more, so rarely calling for backup.  He works an extrovert's job all day even though his natural inclination is to be an introvert. I wanted to make a couple t-shirts for his birthday.  Morai provided the shirts.  I asked E what should go on them.  His first answer? A guitar.  That boy is smart.  Since our printer is not functioning I had to draw it myself.  This is unheard of.  I am pretty sure everyone can tell what it is without any prompting.  UNheard of. I also wanted to have a shirt that ...

I feel like I have a lot to say but I am not sure what it is.  I have a couple things to share but I have to wait until after a certain someone's birthday.  Because I know he is a loyal reader... Today I went all out, wore my makeup, changed my jewelry and went out and got my eyebrows done.  Because you know in the weeks after the baby comes I will feel like a mess and every little bit helps.  I miss working at Doubledutch  and seeing all the new things as they come in.  I am sure in a few months I will be putting in an order with her to make myself look and feel like a hot mama instead of a hot mess.  (She actually has a special deal going on today- check out the website for details!) I am coming up on 500 posts and starting to think of some kind of giveaway to do... hmmm, what to do??  Something simple but fun.  I'm hoping some inspiration will hit. Today is cold enough that I am actually feeling it.  I have to say the best part abo...

I have wanted to make this quilt for a long, long time.  I have thought of it in many ways, imagined it with many fabrics, recreated it in my mind with whole cloth, blocks and different embroidery.  It was made for one of those people who deserves the best and you know that you need to get it "just right" for.  Not that she wouldn't love it no matter what, but you know what I mean. With her birthday coming up and the birth day of this baby right around the corner I knew we had arrived at the "now or never" phase.  Or at least, the now or not for another three to five years phase...  And since I have been thinking of it for the last five years....  Obviously, it was time to move this out of the "wish to make" brain pile. I went with super simple.  Two fabrics I thought she'd love and a super neutral opposite side.  I am not sure which side is the front and which side is the back.  I guess that means it is reversible.   I alre...

Tomorrow night John and I are planning on our last planned date forever. :-)  Indian food and a show.  I am going to see if I can still fit into my skinny (maternity) jeans.  I've been wearing nothing but old navy fleece pants and a maxi skirt for weeks now. It has been raining for days here.  I usually love the rain but this isn't stormy or that warm, just endless drizzle.  We saw blue sky for a few minutes yesterday and I didn't put on my sunglasses because I was enjoying squinting into the little bit of sun.   Today is 38 weeks.  I've been having contractions every night for the last week and keep thinking, maybe, maybe...  But probably we are waiting it out.  In a few days I will be more pregnant than I ever have been since E came in the middle of week 38. I've had the energy to finish a few things this last week and at my awesome craft group with childcare, where I get to go every other Friday, I plan to put all the buttons on the c...

Last weekend, John was sick.  I even let him nap on Sunday afternoon, which means you know he looked really bad.  Pregnant mama's always have things for the papa to do right at the end... Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday E had a fever.  Friday I got it but E seemed better.  This morning E's turned into a horrible cough and by this evening his fever was back.  Luckily, I only had the fever for a few hours on Friday. My mother in law came by Friday and brought soup and this stuff  which seems to have worked a miracle for me.  I am trying to get it into E too, but he is refusing everything but Hyland's Cough and Cold .  And now that he is wheezing we are using his inhaler too. My friend wrote up this great blog for expectant mamas.  She has other great recipes all over her site, too. We have to get rid of this.  I need to have a baby soon.

I've been hooking a whole bunch for this baby.  I love making baby things because they are so small and you feel truly accomplished in a short time.  Also, I don't have to follow much of a pattern with these things anymore.  I'm not all that keen on directions... I'd like to let you know that all the pink was chosen by E.  He loves it and hopes for Sissie to come out everyday now.  The sweetness is killing me and between the gluten thing and my hormones I am totally in love with him all over again right now.  Sometimes I just want to snuggle kiss him until he can't stand it any  more. Last night he fell asleep on Papa and me while Papa was reading in front of the fireplace.  I could have eaten him. {this is still waiting for buttons} See?  I am supposed to be writing about the things I crocheted for Sissie, but I can't stop thinking of Emerson!  He just told me she should be out in time for dinner.  When Papa gets home....

When we first moved I started looking for an acupuncturist right away.  I knew I was holding a lot of stress from the move (and from parenting and for the miscarriage and, and, and...) and I knew that is was important to treat it in whatever way would be fastest.  I felt like having a baby when you already above your threshold is just a bad idea.  Because first, you have to relax to get the baby out and then you use up everything you have left with sleepless nights and (no doubt) the stressed out only child becoming a sibling. I found a really warm and friendly place here called Asheville Community Acupuncture . I'd seen them when looking around for a low cost option and then my midwife sent me that way too.  Perfect.  For the first month and half and cried every time I got there.  The relief of being in a place where people only cared about  me and what I needed was overwhelming.  And then getting to lay down...

Over here we have a house full of preparations.  Gathering birthing and newborn supplies, lanolizing diaper covers, and now just starting to think of storing some food away.  John and I are each at our "assigned" reading each night and Emerson has his own "work." We have three particular books that have been a lot of fun and spark great discussions and pride in his new coming role.  It is interesting to hear his thoughts and questions.  I always love the ones that start out, "Well, you, know, when I was a baby....." I'll start at the bottom of the stack.  My midwife gave us "Welcome with Love" to read.  The pictures are sweet, the one telling the story is a boy about E's age.  It is calm and full of little bits about how it will really be.  Mom makes a lot of noise, people cry when the baby is born, there is a picture of the placenta.  All things he may see and hear.  I like that it also is a birth that takes place in the winter an...

Grainy pictures from a rainy day.  But I wanted to share these because I think they are so cute.  E decorated some shirts for Sissie.  I drew the circle and had him add the eyes and arms and legs.  He added the mouth (over the eyes), nose and hair. He also wanted to decorate the one where you open it so when you change her diaper, "It will be pretty!"  I just tried to keep a straight face. This was about a 5 minute art project.  Just the right length to keep it happy. Happy New Year!