THIRTY FIVE MORE DAYS!

Let's think of it as 35 more days. AHHHHHHHH!!!! Kidding...

We had a very social weekend as well. I helped with a plant sale Saturday morning, we had dinner and went to see Ira Glass up at Western Saturday evening with friends, then the neighborhood did a shower for us on Sunday late afternoon. I was completely blown away at the number of people there. Anne and Diane invited a lot of people with young children. It was wonderful.

Nothing feels settled, but I am not attached to deadlines or outcomes, so it doesn't matter. I am just enjoying life right now. Need to purchase all of the stuff for home delivery - I have quite a list. We'll get the bed at the last minute. I have a feeling he'll be sleeping with us for awhile, so it doesn't matter. We do need to get the car seat pretty quick. I am VERY tired beginning about 3 weeks ago. I think he is just on a growth spurt. My upper left ribs just ache sometimes and this weekend, it felt like I had a cinder block sitting vertically on my pubic bone all weekend. Am up to 135.5# and I feel every ounce of it. Trying to do a good hike every day from here on out to give me some stamina for delivery.

Summer Planning

Actually, I'll bet we don't see you until July since we are going to be either delivering or in shock about the time you arrive.

Sorry I haven't written. I am so pooped and completely busy. Less than 49 days to parenthood. Don't think we'll do another ultrasound unless something weird happens - they are elective at this point (no insurance coverage unless there is a medical reason) and fairly spendy, so I just have to wait to see the real thing : (

Everything is on or ahead of schedule with the kitchen project. Plumber finished Monday, am awaiting inspection this morning, and we don't have anyone until the electricians next Monday. Don't know about wall color yet, but it will have to look nice with the fir cabinets. We're kind of waiting to see how much lighter it all gets after the drywall and windows to decide on the wall color. Not much wall shows, to be honest, it's mostlyl covered in cabs or windows or openings to other rooms. We picked an environmental linoleum for the floor called Marmoleum in Sahara. Did I tell you that my belly button is completely off center? I think it is because I have been sleeping on my left side since last fall (you are supposed to) and that's where he always has his big Joe head, but it's pretty funny. Some women get stretch marks, but I just have a relocated belly button. You'll see it one day when I get around to pictures. Sorry Jess, it just seems that by the time the weekend rolls around, I am exhausted and not looking/feeling too photogenic. Joe was joking the other night and said we would just scan a photo of a pregnant supermodel and Photoshop my face in to make everyone happy.

8 weeks left and counting!

Here is a shot of the demo'd kitchen. While I am enjoying this pregnancy, I am definitely living more for the future (end of construction, birth of baby, etc.) instead of enjoying the beauty in every day. I am feeling P-O-O-P-E-D. 8 weeks and counting from yesterday until you fly back to Washington and this baby is due (see, there I go again!). Am up to 133.5# (18.5# gain) this morning and it is definitely the little guy, not me, although I am stretching out everything I pull over my various humps these days. All I want to do is sit in the sun and sleep, but I have all of these other things to take care of, so I'll have to work on balance. If I had a private garden/beach, I'd be a naked fat gal on a big rock in the sun : ) We didn't take pictures last weekend because I looked exhausted and not too damned photogenic. Need to work on that. Kitchen is going fast. The contractors finish/leave (for a few weeks) today and the plumbing/electrical/drywall phase begins. Is all due to finish the week the baby is born, with something happening every single week until then!

Baby Wearing is always in style

I think this little guy is going to be not so little. He is working on his routine for Cirque du Soliel every night. Ba-dump, flip, bump, roll, kick, push, ba-dump. My parents are bringing out the basinet I slept in when I was little and I will put that in my studio for him to sleep in, but I plan on wearing him until he is too ungodly large for my body to take it anymore. I really like the whole philosophy behind baby wearing. I just got my first 2 dozen organic cotton start diapers in the mail yesterday.

Prego Painting Picasso

My studio is finally painted the coolest green - pale avocado - it took  5 hours to finish it yesterday and boy, was I ever exhausted last night. I reached this point where a little voice inside my head said '...you're getting so fatigued that you are going to do something stupid and hurt yourself...' and about a minute later, the entire paint tray came crashing down on my head - still have no idea how it happened - I was pretty goofy by then. Esmé and I slept in this morning - Joe is in Oregon, so she got to sleep on the bed with me. She loves that.

130.5 Pounds and Still Kickin'

Well, the baby is huge, I am huge. A heffalump. I weighed 130.5 on the scale this morning. Sometimes when he kicks, my entire torso moves. Not joking. Am starting to be terrified that he is going to be a BIG baby. I have been having fantasies/delusions of delivering a 5+ pounder, but he doesn't feel like a little baby.

It has finally stopped pissing rain and is now sunny and just blowing like crazy. Joe is getting ready to mow this jungle we call our backyard. I am working on the garage - ugh.

Kitchen Details

Finalized the cabinets on Friday - man was that a headache! Would help if I wasn't so picky about symmetry, balance, details, but they are too expensive not to obsess over plans. Signing contract and ordering cabinets and windows tomorrow morning. They are handling the framing, installation of windows, doors, cabs, floors, and finish, and overall hand-holding, but I get to man the clipboard, phone, and calendar. So much for my relaxed 3rd trimester...Think we are shying away from stainless counters for ease of installation in a kitchen with no right angles (making it flush with the wall - stainless doesn't exactly bend) and fabricators in Spokane, Portland, and Seattle, and timing. Looking at a counter product called Richlite that is recycled paper pulp and resin. Our dear friend Hal Schafer has been installing it for a few years and loves it - functions and mills like a hardwood - occasional oiling and light sanding if you do something really egregious to it. A-1 loves it. From a tactile standpoint, it feels very nice. Is close to bulletproof. 

Bought some fun stuff for the Little Man. Found this sweet shop (Bootyland) on Capitol Hill in Seattle and the owner gave me Diaper 101 and the lowdown on baby slings (I am going to continue to wear this kid - don't see myself plunking him down in a bed and wandering off too much - he'll pretty much be an extension of me). Diapers are pretty revolutionary now. I'll have to show you. The 'plastic pants' are polar fleece, the actual diapers are organic cotton and hemp, and no pins - just velcro! Jess, they had all sorts of infant monkey wear at Old Navy that I think would have walked out the door with Aunt Jess had you been there - got him a great hat to keep the sun out of his eyes and a very soft chocolate brown hooded sweatshirt - I think I am starting to get into this...