36.5 weeks

Oof, would you take a look at that belly. Here we are, just a day from being considered full term. I can't believe it. While I know that most likely I am still going to be pregnant for another 3-4 weeks, it's still thrilling to know that you're basically in the clear to come along any time now.

We had our 36 week ultrasound at the beginning of this week and it was so cool to see how much you've grown. To see your fat little hands and your long, strong leg bones and your heart beating away. You got the hiccups and if I was more tech-savvy I would insert the video here, because it's pretty damn cute. You're also pretty damn tiny. You are on the petite side, but your father and I were both pretty small babies so it's not entirely surprising. As long as you keep growing, you're in good shape. And apparently your powerful kicks and endless hiccups are good signs that you are in fact petite, and not malnourished or something. I am such a perfectionistic hostess, I couldn't bear it if you weren't having a good time in there.

You are still kicking and twisting and moving as much as ever. You are head down and in the right position and I'm just so PLEASED with you right now! Yes, I'm tired. I'm so tired that it makes me a little weepy, and also our air conditioner is broken and that's an unpleasant adult thing to have to deal with. But regardless, no matter that being pregnant is starting to lose it's charm, I just can't wait to meet you. I never thought I would enjoy being pregnant so much and I have to owe some of that to you. You've been a charming little partner in crime and I just can't wait to see your face and those fat little hands in person.

Maternity fashion, week 36.

4-21-09 by mariannecanada on Polyvore.com

Tiny clothes, tiny diapers.

Dude, your room! How cute is your room? This will likely be a pretty boring entry but I really want to document some sources before I forget where I got things or what I did here. First of all, that adorable rug is from Ikea and was a complete steal. Buster loves it most of all. The Eames-knockoff rocker is from eBay and is really uncomfortable. I'll probably sell it on Craigslist but for now it looks great with an Ikea sheepskin on it.

The crib is another Ikea bargain ($99!), and I love the simplicity of it, and that it isn't a massive hunk of furniture. The artwork comes from your talented aunt Helen, who also helped me make the mobile. More on the mobile in a second. The hippo joins us from Ikea and I think I'll name her Penelope.

Dwell Target bird sheets, a family heirloom quilt (in grey, purple, and pink--how on trend are these colors on a really old quilt? very nice!), a super soft receiving blanket, and a felted "lovey" blanket.

Helen and I made the mobile--she made tons and tons of these paper flowers for an art installation. We strung the small ones on fishing wire with a bead and hung them from embroidery hoops. I love how this turned out, especially since some of the paper mobiles I was admiring were over $80!

Now I think Helen and I should go into business with these babies.

You don't have a lot of toys yet, but I have to say the stuff you have is incredible nice. Here we have a Steiff teddy bear that my dad gave me years and years ago, a knit BlahBlah doll from your great-great-Aunt Angie, and an organic cotton peapod toy. The yellow bin I already had and the toy chest is from, where else? Ikea.

Strawberry print from the ever-talented Helen.

Dwell Target glider purchased to replace uncomfortable, but very stylish, Eames shell rocker. This glider is great and seems to be really well made. Thrifted Russian table, thrifted lamp and Ikea lampshade. The quilt was a shower gift from my grandmother.

If you have to deal with poop, it might as well be a cute set-up, right? Ikea changing table. Vintage flour sack changing pad cover (I know this will get dirty immediately, I have a whole stack of them in various patterns). Diaper pail (read: trashcan) from Target with Whammies waterproof pail liner from Cutie Tooties. Baskets from Target; diapers, wipes, and other supplies from Cutie Tooties. Large pink print from Helen.

I love this collection of teeny art! "Spring" tin sign from anthropologie, Ichabod and Susannah paintings and Hawaiian "sisters" chalk drawing collected over the years. Mini woodblock art from my other talented sister Sara Kate.

Turn your nose up at cloth diapering if you must, but they are really cute.

Speaking of cute, teeny clothes! Everything for 0-3 months is organized, washed and folded.

It's satisfying to see all of this tiny cuteness in one place.

My mom brought over some clothes she save from when I was little, and this vintage hanger was in the bag. This picture isn't the best, but it has bunnies on it.

So, I decided to use one of your frocks to decorate your closet. This is from Boden by way of eBay.

AH! Someone is having a girl.

I love the way this bookshelf area turned out. Vintage bookshelves I've had forever.

I picked up some great Charley Harper stuff from Old Navy last year--board books, a coloring book, and some games. We've also been given some classics.

One of Chris' students gave us the teensy Vans, they kill me. The giraffe teether is from France (via Cutie Tooties), and the letter "L" from eBay.

Paper cut-out from Etsy.

Nashville Puppet Festival print from my friend Emily. I guess that's pretty much everything! We are waiting on the frames for two more prints to hang over the dresser, so I haven't shown that side of the room yet. But otherwise, everything is ready, we just need to add a baby!

34 weeks

First of all, this:

Most of the nasty things people have been promising these last few weeks would bring seem to be true. The heartburn that makes me (try to) sleep sitting up, having to pee more than EVER, tiredness that stems from either the lack of sleep or increasingly unweildy body, UGH. And you show no sign of calming down, or sleeping more often, or having movements that are more gentle and rolling since you're running out of room. No, you seem hellbent on damaging my internal organs 24 hours a day.

In cuter news, I can see your feet when you stretch out across my abdomen. You can feel me when I press on these little feet, you jerk them away and then kick back out again. It's cute, even though it hurts.

Also cute? Your nursery. Oh man, this room is cute. I think it's my favorite room in the house.

I'll have to do a more complete nursery post soon, because it's seriously ridiculous in there. So bright and cheerful and fun.

32 weeks

You made my OB laugh yesterday. She pressed lightly on one side of my belly and you immediately kicked back--hard. She chuckled and tried the other side with the same results. Then you kicked the fetal doppler once, twice, three times. You are not a child that likes your space infringed upon, it seems.

Like I didn't know this. Like you don't kick me--hard--if I lean over, or wear pants that are too tight, or lay on a side you find unacceptable. Like you don't love to press against my poor ribcage until it literally feels bruised!

I complain, but I really love that you are so strong. That you impress even my doctor, who pressed on pregnant bellies all day. That you are growing ridiculously, measuring over 33 weeks this week. I know most first time mothers go past their due date but you just seem to be so anxious to get out and stretch those long Farmer legs, it makes me wonder.

Just please, stop trying to get out via my belly button. Not only does it feel so weird that it wakes me up in the night, gasping, it's just not medically advised.

Updated belly pictures to come...

Baby shower #1

My mother, sisters, and sister-in-law threw me a lovely baby shower and invited all of the wonderful ladies in my family. It was such a wonderful afternoon and I'm so touched by the thoughtful gifts!

These are the hostess gifts I brought:
I wanted to keep one for myself but I'm really trying to be less selfish. It's hard.

The decorations were just too cute, featuring mounds of paper roses that my sister Helen made (and later we fashioned into a fantastic mobile, more on that to come):

We had a great crowd to enjoy delicious food and drinks:

And really, I got such lovely gifts!

Overall, a delightful afternoon and I'm just so touched by everyones support and love. What a wonderful family I have.

So now we've got that out of the way.

I've been wondering if I would have my very own trip-to-labor-and-delivery-for-no-reason story, and now the wait is over. Little one, last week...last week was not good. I am not sleeping, still, and my 30-weeks pregnant body is now pumping 45% more blood than before. 45%! That is really quite a lot of extra blood, my goodness.

So anyway, this extra blood has my heart working extra hard and has apparently brought to the forefront a very, extremely mild arrhythmia. My heart just kind of skips a beat occasionally and then POUNDS for a little while afterwards. This is also, not surprisingly, aggravated by getting NO FREAKING SLEEP. Ahem.

So last Thursday, the pounding was really getting to me, and it took even less than usual for me to feel completely short of breath. By Friday morning I figured I might as well give my OB a call, just because I've had it drilled into my head that it is ALWAYS better to call. Imagine my shock when my normally laid-back OB does not tell me to just go home, get some rest, lay on my side, and drink water, which was what I was expecting. No, she calmly but firmly tells me to drive myself straight to Labor & Delivery where they will be waiting to hook me up to monitors and give me an EKG.

Honestly, it took me aback.

So I did as I was told (making a 5 minute detour to pick up Chris) and lickedy spilt found myself in a gown and bed in L&D triage. Everyone was SO nice and the hospital was really quiet because no one was scheduling things on Friday the 13th. As expected, there was nothing seriously wrong, just the little blip on the EKG but nothing that can hurt me or the baby. I was sent home and finally told to get some rest and stay off my feet for the day. Happy to oblige.