Update

Quick post to let you know we had an appointment with the midwives today.

Great blood pressure, lost 2 more pounds, baby's heart rate is 158, and we have our big ultrasound on Jan. 19!!! :)

28 days until we see our baby for the first time!

Home Improvement: Crafty style

The other night Matt and I sat down and made a list of things we would like to accomplish around the house before the baby arrives. Some if it is as simple as cleaning out a closet (i.e. no real crafting involved). But some of it definitely requires a creative flair.

These are 3 room projects I am getting excited about:

Painting the nursery:

I have known for a LONG time I wanted to do 2 tone stripes. At first I thought maybe the same color but in two finishes, to make the stripes very subtle. Then when I was cleaning some last weekend, I came across this picture I clipped a couple years ago. I love it. The two tone stripes and the third tone solid along the bottom. The division of the wall. LOVE it. So, this is the plan, but in yellow. Now to explore paint chips. :)


Curtains.:

The nursery has a double window along one wall and a single window on another wall. I found the following picture at the same time as the wall picture above. I LOVE these curtains! Of course, they are from PBK several years ago, and I wouldn't want to pay those prices even if they still made them! This needs to be added to the sewing project list once we know if it's a boy or a girl. I can already picture them. Solid at the top, with a coordinating pattern on the bottom. :)


Decor:

Also from PBK (who'd have thought? All 3 pics are from them). If we do birds for a girl, I want to make a bean bag pillow to match (like the PBK Penelope birds, since that's the bedding we picked out for a girl.... oh, about a year ago :) ). And if we have a boy, then I want to make the owl or raccoon. I think it would be too cute to have peeking out from a corner of the nursery! :)

The tree isn't all that's decked out...

A few more decorations around the house... be sure you scroll to the end! :)

What's the verdict?

Please humor my aside from normal crafty things:

Ladies, what is the earliest you felt your baby moving around? I know "they" say 18-20 weeks, especially for a first-time mom. But I've got to tell you, I've been feeling some taps and flutters, and on Sunday I felt a very swift JAB right where the midwife found the heartbeat at our last appointment (and after drinking a glass of OJ at our church brunch). What do you think? Anyone feel her baby early? Is it purely wishful thinking? :)

Christmas around the house....

I decided to try something new this year, and I'm taping Christmas pictures and cards to the laundry room door. So far I like it. :)

I also moved our little village to a bookshelf in the living room instead of the entryway table (where I have a nativity this year in its place).


Wreaths are up in the front windows!


And the tree, Spike, is all decked out for Christmas! Spike is HUGE, but Matt LOVES him. He still smells GREAT, and he's been drinking LOTS of water still after a week! He's a keeper. :)


Complete with ribbon (Matt wanted to try ribbon this year) and my new crocheted snowflake ornaments (thanks, Dad and Mom!) that even compliment a snowflake design in the ribbon.

Christmas is coming...

.... and so are Christmas tree pictures, as soon as I charge my camera battery. :)




p.s. The baby's due date is exactly 6 months from today!! And this time next year, we should have a 6 month old! :) :) :)

Ready to Roll!

I sat down the other night and typed up what turned out to be a rather ambitious-looking list of things I'd like to sew for the baby. I'm itching to get started, but for many of the items, I'd like to wait and see if we can find out if the baby is a boy or a girl. Here's what I have so far...

Things I want to sew for the baby:

• Nursing cover
• Burp cloths
• Shopping cart cover? (or should I just register for one?)
  
• Dipes and wipes case
• Travel changing mat (like the skip hop?) (or should I just register for one?)
  
• Boppy cover? (I know I'll register for some, but should I make some, too?)
  
• Clothes (just a few simple things)
  
• Quilt (I bought fabric for two quilts while we were in TN!! Pics soon!)
  
• Taggie ball or blanket
• Hooded towel
• Paci clips (also good as blankie clips for a stroller)
• Tie chair? (obviously not necessary for quite some time, but I think I could maybe figure one out)
  

Possibilities:

• Baby legs? (I have one pair and a tutorial on how to make them..... I'm not sure)
  
• Holiday bibs? (something similar to this.... maybe I should just ask for them for Christmas)
  
• Travel toiletry case (again, I'm thinking maybe I should just ask for one for Christmas)

Any advice??

Our Newest Project

We are at home in Tennessee this year for Thanksgiving. We haven't been home since July (I know there are many people who haven't been home in longer than that, but it's been a stretch for us)!, and we are just SO glad to be here and surrounded by family!

Not only are we with my parents, but my brothers, their wives, our niece and nephews, my grandmother, an aunt and uncle, and even my sister-in-law's family--the tables were packed! :) Yes, that was tables, plural. :)

We have so much to be thankful for. Truly, I stand amazed looking over the last year especially, and seeing ALL God has done. In easier times and harder times, they have all prepared us for where we are now and where He is taking us. We would go through them all over again.

We've had delightful and fun times, like our spring break trip to Hilton Head. We've had hard times, like thinking my aunt's melanoma was back (it's NOT, praise the LORD!). We've had scary times, like thinking we would be moving earlier this fall. And we've had exciting times, like some of the projects we've been thrilled to see come to fruition.

I have been working on one project--it's really quite the joint venture--for several weeks now. I think it's finally far enough along to tell you a little about it....





We've been working on it for about 12 weeks and it has a heart rate of 145 beats per minute. It will be complete (at least, in this first stage) around June 10, 2009. All its major organs are in place, and we've even had the delight of hearing it kick (though we haven't felt it yet).





We are thrilled, THANKFUL, amazed, HUMBLED, and rejoicing to announce that we are expecting a baby in June! God is SO gracious to us. I'm tearing up just thinking about it right now. Sorry for keeping it under wraps, but we wanted to make it to the end of the first trimester and to hear the heartbeat before we announced it. We are soooo thankful to be telling you! Please pray for this little one's development and for good health for all of us. :)

At our last appointment on Monday, the midwife said everything is going "perfectly." That, along with the 145 swooshing beats per minute, was music to this MOMMA's ears! :)

I will be sure to tell more soon about how we found out and how things are going. And I'm sure I will have sewing projects and questions for you along the way as we prepare for baby K!

Blessings to you and your family,
Becca

Baby Kit

So, here's the "big" photo shoot. :) It's really just a little something, but such a simple something to make for a little someone. :)

All you need is a washcloth and some ribbon!

Fold part of the washcloth up, pin your ribbon, sew sections up the folded part to hold baby's toiletries... I just used some things I had left over from a baby shower diaper wreath, so not everything in mine is really toiletry-oriented. :) But it's easy to roll everything up, tie it up, and then throw it into a diaper bag or overnight case. It keeps thing organized and easy to grab. :)

I'm also pinning a casserole tote!

Tomorrow!

So I didn't get the picture posted tonight. :-( Sorry! I WILL be able to tomorrow though--I don't have any reason to think I wouldn't because...

• I finished grading/entering interim report grades today (HOORAY!!!!!!)
• While hunting around the house for an exacto knife to finish my Thanksgiving cards (I'll post them next week), I found my copy of Photoshop I had been looking for! I couldn't find it to install on our new computer and was about to buy another copy (elements v. 5.0). God is so sweet to us! :) Now I will probably even post more pictures in general, because I can resize them and adjust the contrast, etc. better with much ease. :)
• I took an hour-long nap today (still fighting this cold), but tomorrow I am not tutoring and I already know what we're having for dinner, and it's super-duper easy (square meat, if my fam is interested). :) hehe
• There's only FRIDAY left after tomorrow, and then only Monday and Tuesday. SUPER exciting! We can't WAIT for Thanksgiving. :) :) :)

So, see you again tomorrow... with PICTURE(S)! :)

A-choooo!

I stayed home sick today. It was to a point where if I didn't get a sub today, I was pretty sure I'd need one later this week. Why not rest today and try to make it so I'll be okay for Tues.-Friday? So anyway, I slept... a lot.

But last week when we had Monday and Tuesday off I DID get to do some sewing. I just never posted it. We had some plumbing problems (that resurfaced this weekend), etc. But hopefully tomorrow or Wednesday, I will be able to post the little something I cooked up. :)

Thanks for hanging in there. Stay tuned! Still working on other projects that hopefully can be blogged about soon, too!

Hip Hip Hooray

I was off from work today!
(and tomorrow)

I can't believe I have a 3 day week this week, a full week, and then a 2 day week. Then we go HOME for Thanksgiving--woo hoo!! :)

Today I coordinated a visit from one plumber to clear a clogged line (the main drainage line from the washing machine) and estimates from several others for a water heater replacement/installation. Things are hopping around here!

I'm hoping to do some crafting tomorrow. If I do, I shall share with you what I get to! I'm working on some other things right now too, but you'll have to wait a few more weeks before they're ready to share. I'm excited to tell you when I can, though!

I guess that's about all for now. Hopefully I'll have some pictures of projects to post tomorrow. :) Happy Veteran's Day tomorrow to all who have served our country in the military (like my dad!)! We are SO thankful for you!

Psssst.......

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Happy birthday to me (and my sweet friend, Ruthie)!! :) :) :)

Too long...

Sorry it's been so long without an update! Things have been crazy busy and I've been exhausted! One reason is that the first grading period came to a close, so I was busy finishing grading (boy did it bless me to see another teacher I really admire and respect hauling a huge bucket of journals back to school on Tuesday... she had obviously done some big grading over the long weekend!) and getting grades in the computer system. Report cards are supposed to go home Monday, so right now I'm in a delightful lull where I'm caught up on grading (!!!) and I don't have panicked parents scheduling conferences about report cards yet. ;)

Matt and I also went away over a long weekend I had this past weekend. It was a belated anniversary trip, and it was wonderful to get away together, rest, sleep, and just reflect on all God has taught us in our 3 years of marriage. :)

All that to say, I haven't done any crafting (gasp!). I am hoping to have a little Saturday morning sew date with a friend soon. And I'm working on getting the biohazard placement just right on the onesies. When I do, you will know (and they will be in my etsy shop!)!

So, sorry to keep you waiting, but for now you'll be waiting a little longer. I do however need to post some strange things about myself, because my dear friend Ruthie tagged me. If you're looking for crazy-delicious looking and gourmet recipes, or if you wonder just how cold it gets in Wisconsin :), you should definitely visit Ruthie's blog. Plus she's coming up on her 6 month wedding anniversary, which makes me smile. :) And while I'm at it, let me give an "early pre-birthday" shout-out to my birthday twin (Ruthie)! :)

Without further ado... 7 random things about me:

1. I really, really do not like mixing foods. And I have major texture issues with food.

2. And yet, I like dipping Fritos in ketchup as the occasional treat (Matt finally tried it and said, "I can't believe I'm not saying this is gross... it's actually good.").

3. I'm currently not really digging meat. Not much of a taste for it. If you have veggie recipes or recipes low on the meat content, send them my way! :)

4. The first time I got my hair cut in a salon I was a junior in high school (my mom would just trim it before then). And now, my husband usually cuts my hair! Now the last time I got it cut in a salon was before our wedding (eek! It could probably use a professional cut).

5. The first time I tried broccoli was last year when a friend made some cream of broccoli soup...and I liked it! I have tried to replicate it, but I was not even close. If you have a good recipe (I liked it being quite creamed due to the texture issues), pass it along! :)

6. I could never be President of the United States... not just because it would overwhelm me, but because it would be against the law! I was not born in the U.S. and am therefore disqualified.

7. Next week marks 5 years since my first date with my husband. He is/was also my first/only kiss, which is very sweet to my heart. :)

I'm supposed to tag 7 people, but most of you have already done this. So if you haven't and you want to, have at it! :) E, I don't think you've done it yet, but with your double job status, I'm not expecting it. ;)

A New Endeavor

So I spent some time earlier this week trying to figure out this "selling on Etsy" thing. I set up a little shop with a test product (the UT burp cloth you see in the Etsy widget on the right). After I make some biohazard onesies (hopefully this weekend), I plan to add those too. I also ordered some fun ribbon from JCaroline... so be on the lookout for some new things before too long!

Mulling over a couple other changes as well... stay tuned!


Have a good weekend, and I hope you enjoy some rest and crafting while you're at it. :)