Twelve

I know I've posted this in little bits over the years, but I was feeling it this morning.  And, I promised not to embarrass her online, which I am taking to mean Facebook.

But this isn't embarrassing.  This is gratitude.

There almost wasn't an Esme.  And we wanted her, very badly.
It was March of 2007, and Mark and I had been together for a few months.  We had decided we definitely wanted to be parents.  We had been thinking about it all that time, and we were really certain.  I was really underweight, from issues with my previous marriage, and had really low blood pressure that led to dizzy spells that were off and on all my life.  We went to the doctor to find out what I would need to do be healthy enough for a pregnancy.  And they did bloodwork and other tests, and came to tell us the results.

I remember the doctor had a funny look on his face when he came back in the room.  He asked us if we were certain we wanted to be parents, and if we could work through things health-wise to be there.  We said yes.  And I remember he looked at us with a relieved expression, and the nurses leaned in the doorway at the same time, and he said 'Because, you're already pregnant.  Only a month, give or take a week.'  And we were happy, confused, and a little worried!

AND WE WAITED.... and there were complications

They scheduled me for an ultrasound, and we went home.  We didn't tell Mark's parents yet.. but they told us later that we looked like the cat that ate the canary, and they knew something was up.  At the ultrasound a few weeks later though, they gave me some semi-bad news.  The embryo had implanted really far down in the uterine wall, in an 'odd' place, and was not attached well, and there might be problems, especially if she continued to grow there.   Of course, it was much too early to tell 'she', but I'm going to use that anyway, because it was Esme.

A few weeks after that I had unexplained bleeding.  That was a bad sign.  I was trying to do everything right, but they said I had to take it even more easy - because of how she was attached, or we might lose her.  Another ultrasound was planned for twelve weeks.. and they said they'd know for sure by then if she was going to be 'viable' or we'd have to try again.  I was pretty worried and didn't really know what to do.  Mark tried to help me the best he could.  It was out of our hands, and we had our hopes and our doubts.  I know I made a lot of art at this time, and we were doing work for his parents, programming and such.  We stuck together and waited until the ultrasound date.  The bleeding went away, and that was a better sign.  Sometimes, that just happens, they said.

The twelve week ultrasound was both good and bad.  She was in the same position, which meant she was going to be attached there for the duration.  But, she was firmly attached.  No more bleeding, no more worry that she would suddenly miscarry that way.  They scheduled the next ultrasound, the one where they tell you the gender.  We told Mark's parents finally.  They were going to have a grandchild.  We actually started planning to be parents, and asking each other about names and so forth.  Mark suggested Galadriel and Calliope for girls, and he wanted Nikola Tesla for a boy.  I vetoed Galadriel and Calliope, and we decided on Esmerelda, from the Terry Pratchett character Esmerelda Weatherwax.

AND WE WAITED.... with hope

At five months the ultrasound said we were having a girl.  Everything was fine except the way she was growing, which was sideways head to one side and feet to the other.  They said it wouldn't matter for a few more weeks because she had so much room in there, but it would begin to matter more if she didn't turn by seven months.  We went to Hamvention in Ohio.  I felt her kick while we were on the way there, like a butterfly dragging wings down the side of my stomach.   I remember that moment as cruising in a van, at 65mph on the Interstate, with Mark driving and Zeppelin playing on the speakers.   Over the next few weeks she would kick hard and press her hands against my stomach so firmly we could see them - and she loved to hear Mark laugh.  I could feel a physical bouncing rolling response from her when he laughed.

AND WE WAITED, but it was a good time....

She hated tea (so hard in the South!) and burned meat or toast etc.  Those were the only two things that made me nauseous during the entire pregnancy.  There was once she made me drink an entire gallon of orange juice in a single day.  I hate orange juice.  I drank gallons of milk, too, and craved strawberries and fresh, not cooked tomatoes.

It all went pretty smoothly from there, normal fears and such.  I gained a lot of water and they were a bit worried about that, and stresses on the heart etc.  They were worried about transept and c-section right up until two weeks before her due date.

I was sitting in the middle of our bed knitting something for her and suddenly it felt like someone had grabbed my very core of my stomach and was wrenching it.  I sat up as completely straight as I could, standing on my knees (which is hard when you're nine months pregnant and full of water) and it felt like an alien was at war with my stomach.  She turned at that point, they told me later.  She was head down and the worry of c-section had diminished dramatically.

IT LOOKED ALL GOOD .. finally!

They didn't know if she was going to arrive early, before her due date, or late, being a first baby.  I was given a wide range, two weeks of possible birthdays, and to just 'watch for the signs.'  I was FULL of water, and a bit cranky, according to Mark!

A few days before she was born we went to a Zale's jewelry store to ask them about resizing my ring, and to buy Mark a better ring.  There was a very old lady behind the counter, and she had advice for me.  She said to go home and have Mark cook up a very big kettle of spaghetti.  I was to sit down and eat as much of it as I could stand.  She said the baby would arrive within the week.  She did, and today is her birthday.

We were pretty lucky, but I was definitely feeling this today.  She's twelve!  And she is wonderful.  And we are so lucky and proud to have our lovely girl.

Esme's birth

Daddy and Esme nap together

Labor Stats: About 33 hours. Labor started at 12:30 am on November 3rd, and was continuous until her birth at 9:37 am on November 4th.

Pain management: I listened to Esme's heartbeat on the monitor, when it was on, to help ride contractions. I also used repetitious movements of my hands and feet, humming and, in the last hour, growling (yes, growling... it surprised me too) to manage the pain of the contractions. They gave me one shot in the middle of the night so I could sleep for an hour and a half as I had been awake for 24 hrs+ at that point.

So, How was Childbirth? : My best friend from high school called me the other night and asked this question. What am I supposed to say to that? The first words that came to mind was 'I loved it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.' It was a transition - and it meant keeping Esme safe and bringing her into the world. I didn't enjoy the pain, but it was purposeful and every step was something unknown to be passed through on the way to our little girl's birth. I think I disappointed my friend -- she expected me to complain to her maybe? I can't - things went beautifully well - unexpectedly well, and I am grateful for that for both of our sakes (Esme and I).

My first words as Esme came out (delivery): 'That was SO cool!...' I felt like a surfer dude saying that, but really, it was an amazingly strange feeling. The pressure was instantly gone, and I felt Esme unfold all her limbs on the way out with lots of liquid all around her. It was like a squid came out of me! All of my fears of not knowing what my baby would look like subsided immediately - she couldn't look like anything but what she is, which is perfect.

My first interaction with Esme: They laid her on my chest after Mark cut the cord. She was screaming her head off because they had just cleaned her up at the delivery station. I started singing her song to her as I looked at her and tapped the rhythym out on her back. She quieted immediately and started staring at me with this 'Wow' look.

Post-delivery: I was up 65 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight when we left for the hospital. The day we got home I had already lost 18 lbs (baby, fluid, placenta etc.), and today I've reached nearly 30 lbs. lost! That is kind of crazy, as the doctor only wanted me to gain 30 lbs. maximum during the entire pregnancy. I'm so super-hungry and thirsty these past few days I don't think I would have survived without this extra weight on me ;)

I had a super-woman high (human biology, ain't it neat?) for several days after we arrived home but it has begun to diminish and I'm having to make sure I don't overwork myself because Esme can feel that. She didn't let me sleep at all last night fussing every time I put her down and wanting to eat every few hours. That made ME want to cry this morning because I was overtired. She did sleep this afternoon for quite a while though, and Mark and I took that nap with her which helped both of us ;)

Introducing Bazooka, our work of art

Sunday, November 4, 2007 at 9:37 am
8 lbs even, 19.5 inches
This is our Esme, (Esmerelda Mona Lisa), our work of art and love.

Everything started really rolling along at 12:30 am Saturday morning. At 3 pm, we headed to the hospital. She came on her due date at 40 weeks even, surprising everyone, including me.

Daddy was there in the room with us and is just so sweet and wonderful to both of us. Watching him hold Esme and interact with her is pure joy and amazement that I am here with both of them at this time and place

She Might make her due date after all

Lots of steady contractions today, plus other signs that this could be happening today or tomorrow. We'll see if she makes the 5-1-1 rule today. (5 minutes apart, lasting one minute each, for at least an hour)

No Big News Yet

Still in 'pre-labor' and resting up. Baby Bazooka is moving a lot, and we're just waiting for things to get close enough together to go to the hospital. Hope to have good news for you sometime over the weekend, otherwise ultrasound on Monday.

Bazooka Sends out a Convincing False Alarm

Last night was quite interesting, although not enough to go to the hospital yet. My Braxton Hicks felt, for the first time, like real contractions hard and painful across my stomach and abdomen. And they repeated, first at 50 minutes apart, then closer and closer until they were about 10 minutes apart. They came when I was walking around, when I was distracted by something else etc... so they had me thinking maybe she was coming! We were keeping the time on a computer screen Mark has that records a time when you hit 'return.'

By the time they were ten minutes apart I had that little card ready to call the hospital. But, I was really tired, and they weren't increasing in strength, just frequency. Even the hardest one didn't make me hold my breath through it. So I laid down to see if I could sleep at all - and after about a half-hour they stopped coming and I slept through the night.

So, very convincing little girl -- but you'll have to do better to get this mom to take you to see the birthing center again ;)

On a side note - she was active throughout those feelings and I've felt her move around since I've been up this morning, which makes me feel really relieved and certain it was just a false alarm.

39 weeks and counting

Still no baby, but the doctor says it should be soon! Well... that is, within the next two weeks still.

Lynn said she wanted to see another picture to see if the baby has dropped any more since 37 weeks.




Baby Bazooka is SO active lately and yet I'm not sure what a contraction is, so we're not sure if I'm having any. I'm feeling a lot of pressure that comes and goes, but it's concentrated on one side and not very regular... hopefully it isn't too long now!

I'm making zebras for Jeanne and another custom order (maybe) for the shop. It was too cold yesterday for the flea market and we still have 8 puppies!

Bazooka Update: 38 weeks

We're playing the waiting game. Had another doctor's appointment today, and he told me a few things.

If I make it to 40 weeks without going into labor he'll do another ultrasound to make sure things are all okay. They seem to be okay now, she is head down with a good heartbeat still, and very active. If we go a full 41 weeks without labor he'll take her one way or another, and more than likely by c-section :( But that is all yet to be seen.

I didn't gain any weight this week, and I only gained 1 lb last week as well. We're really just waiting around for my body to decide things are right to go into labor. I've gained 55 lbs during this pregnancy - and even the doctor asked where is it? except right there in a huge belly, and probably muscles gained in carrying it around. He estimated the baby is about 7 lbs right now, by feeling how big she is in my stomach. The doctor said he wouldn't be surprised if Bazooka is 'all muscle'(*) - and with Mark as her Daddy, I can definitely see that! :)

(*) When he said that, I imagined her maybe weighing 2 lbs more than a baby her same size/length - just because of all the muscle she is constantly kicking and turning about in me with!

Braxton Hicks Contractions?

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A few days ago I had my first 'tightening' feelings - like someone was grabbing my muscles under this big stomach and drawing them taut. It only happened four times, three little ones 10-15 minutes apart and one long one two hours later. They were completely painless, but it was difficult to move properly because the muscles were hard and didn't want to respond for a few seconds each time, like having your arm held back when you want to move it. I haven't had any more of those for two days. The doctor agreed it was a good sign that something was starting to happen maybe. It's been raining all week and I haven't had any chance to go for my usual long walk in the morning :( but that might help when it dries up again. They say a lot of walking can help things along!

37 weeks and more sock walruses

37 weeks
Doctor said it can be any time, or up till the middle of November - very obtuse, you think? I hope it's sooner, as she is putting a lot of pressure on my pelvis now! I look so huge - and yet most of the time, I only feel slightly awkward. Getting out of the bathtub is still fairly easy, although getting out of bed quickly is a thing of the past...


More Sock Walruses

The original LOLrus the sock walrus was sold quickly! I'm working up a few more in a different style. No button eyes on this one, so a fairly little kid (3 and up) could play with it. I hope to send one of them to the art show next month.

Super Wednesday

Today Mark is in Jackson, TN getting some inventory for our shop - some HEAVY inventory! I'm manning Ebay and trying to find somewhere in our garage to put this HEAVY inventory - somewhere where we won't have to move it for a while.

I'm also making a custom toy for Mrs. Pao! and doing assorted things on Ebay etc... We see a midwife at the clinic today since our doctor is out of town, and we're now at weekly doctor visits.


Two pink squares together? Apparently I wasn't paying enough attention!
I made this slightly-wonky bunny quilt late Saturday night, and another Green Kangaroo. We've been moving nearly nonstop since Sunday morning. Sunday and Monday were a lot of sales at our Ebay, mostly of small things - but that meant a lot of packaging and tracking to get ready to ship LOTS yesterday.

We also took the puppies (all 8 of them) to the flea market yesterday. That was an adventure in itself, but I forgot to bring the camera. We still have all 8, but did pass out a few cards. We're charging money for them because of what happened with Goliath, one of Blaze and DeeDee's brothers, last year. The guy who took him nearly starved him to death and he ended up in the McKenzie animal shelter in near-death conditions. We hope to check people out a little better this year and/or just make sure they really want a dog that is going to get 130-150 lbs quickly! We did hear good news about Goliath from a lady who recognized Blaze, she said last she heard he was adopted by a family in Kentucky and was spending most of his time taking up the whole couch and waving all four feet in the air ;) Must be a 'family trait', as we see that every day *chuckle*

Baby Update I'm continuing to gain some weight, but it has slowed down. I'm still waking up once or twice a night.

I can see that the baby has "dropped"! It's visible and definitely something that can be felt. All of her movements are SO much lower and the place I was feeling upward pressure before, right below the sternum, is about 2 inches lower now. There is also a new pressure right at/below my hipbones, but a constant presence, not a painful bouncing like before she 'turned.'

I can sit up straighter and my shoulders aren't hurting quite as quickly each day as they were for the last few weeks. I'm downing mlik like there is no tomorrow. I went to the store on Monday to get some 'post-pregnancy' comfort clothes. I hate shopping for clothes, but did manage to find some things that fit me now, should fit me then, and don't put a binding feeling about my waist.

I've had three people, in three days, tell me 'Two to three weeks? You look like you could go in two to three days!' A lady at the flea market said that giving birth was 'as close to a long painful death as you can come before you realize it is all over and you forget the pain (because you see that baby of yours)*sigh*'... disconcerting but oddly that doesn't bother me as much as the people who say 'it will all be fine' -- that bothers me more because I KNOW it is going to hurt, and honesty is better than smoothing over.

More KnitOwl toys and more dreams

That is a newborn size pacifier next to the tiny green kangaroo!
I still use tweezers to turn and stuff these little guys.
I've reserved the pink Mama kangaroo and joey for a lady in Canada who contacted me yesterday. Her nice comments on that toy have spurred me to make a few more baby kangaroos. I hope they would make good baby shower gifts. I'm sure another set will be in the shop soon as well.


SOLD

This black cat stuffie was made with the same pattern as the rag rabbit dolls. Alee at Stuffed made a rag rabbit from my PDF pattern and it is really cute! She did a great job on the face especially, using tiny stitches. I really appreciate her testing it out for me! I'll have the .PDF up in the Etsy shop for sale soon.

More Pregnancy Dreams: Again, my brain is working on things at night that I barely think about during the day. We were talking about how soon after Bazooka is born I'll be physically ready to do even light desk and counter type work. I don't think I'll know that until about 3 or 4 days after she is born, at the very least.

Last night I was dreaming about her already being here and taking care of her -- but my mental 'image catalog' is weird, and it kept bouncing between a lifelike doll I had as a kid and my sister's daughter when she was two. I knew I was dreaming and that none of it was like it will be - but some part of me wants to 'practice' maybe... subconscious wondering if I'll know what to do with her, etc... My dreams are always very real - like I'm actually there, doing those things, until something seems 'out of place' and because I know it's a dream then it usually breaks apart and I wake up.

Updates

Pixie seems to be responding a little bit to daily aspirin and antibiotic - but there is definitely still something wrong. We've gotten a few reccommendations from dog health forums and will run them by the vet soon.

My own eating habits have gotten even stranger than usual lately -- maybe because we're so close to 'Bazoooka' being born. Mark loves hamburger and pork chops, and usually I eat them with him when he cooks them. However, lately I've been unable to take interest in either of those, opting for vegetables, fruits and things that are generally moist and light instead of thick and dense. I'm also drinking large glasses of water down quickly. I'm still taking my vitamins though, don't worry about that! We're at 35 1/2 weeks and on Wednesday the doctor said the baby is now head down and ready to come, but he'd like to see us go a 'full 38 weeks.'

I watched some explicit birthing videos online yesterday -- the only thing that bothered me was the blood. Blood always bothers me.

The doctor was again surprised I hadn't felt any contractions yet. I still don't know what one would feel like. He says 'I'll just know - it will hurt worse than anything.' Worse than a broken wrist or hitting your head on concrete? Worse than a relentless sinus migraine headache? I've had both of those, and it's never been screaming. When I broke my wrist my reaction was hysterical laughter. When I get a migraine my reaction is mostly quiet whimpering and focusing on something repetitive.

I'd really like to know where the pain will be... because I've heard several different stories. My mom said her lower back hurt terribly for two days before her stomach suddenly began cramp, followed by her water breaking and only then was she sure it was really labor. I was born 5 hours later. My back, just under the shoulderblades, has been the only real pain I've had lately, and even that is just an annoyance. I'm pretty sure that is just from the extra weight I'm carrying around as applying counterpressure with the back of a chair or the edge of a piece of furniture for a few minutes makes it feel a lot better quickly.

Childbirth seminar and Bouncing Baby

Most of the information they gave us at the class was also available at this website.

Yesterday was the childbirth seminar - it lasted from 8 am to about 3 pm, which was very long! It wiped me out. When I got home I napped for several hours then spent most of the night trying to get rid of a sinus headache.

However, I got a little better feel of what will happen from the nurses than from my doctor -- they agreed that particular OB is 'a worrywort.' It doesn't help that he is, because when it comes to things I don't know about it only adds to worries I have myself. They said their percentage of moms who need stitches after 'natural' birth is very low, while he had said (quote) "You WILL tear.'

They said most babies tend to fall asleep soon after delivery. If I plan to breastfeed it should be done as soon as possible - while the baby is still alert. They reccommended that I attempt to feed her first, then invite visitors to come in and see her afterwards, or when she is getting sleepy.

The room has a shower, which I can use up until a certain dilation - and several chairs and couches near the bed. They said as long as it seems safe for the baby I can get up and move around wherever they can make the monitor reach. My doctor had made it sound like as soon as I got into the room I'd be confined to the bed, and not be allowed to get up again until the baby was delivered. That was not a nice thing to hear! If there are good reasons not to get up it's one thing, but he made it sound like standard practice. The nurses said they rarely call the doctor into the room until a certain amount of dilation or if there is trouble with the baby, so maybe he is just giving info about what happens after he arrives?

Bouncing Baby

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I've been feeling increasingly uncomfortable walking at random times, especially when there is lots of up-and-down (stairs / hill etc.) Someone on my email group said this feeling, which is like being hit with a bicycle seat on a bump just hard enough to be unpleasaant, is most likely a foot, elbow or shoulder etc... (small non-smooth part) bouncing against my cervix. This is more likely because Bazooka is in there sideways. If her head or back was facing down the pressure would be dispersed over a larger area. A small part against there makes a more 'pointy' feeling, that if you're sensitive enough, could be uncomfortable. The heavier the baby gets the worse it might feel - especially on quick or swaying movements. It makes me feel better to know it isn't a bad sign - but quite unsettling anyways!

Bazooka Update

We're 33 weeks (out of 36 to 40 full-term) We went to the doctor yesterday and he said Bazooka probably weighs 4 to 5 lbs now and is still lying transverse (sideways). There's plenty of time for her to shift around and get into position. I'm starting to feel her weight more when I walk - like a ball bouncing up and down, especially downhill or downstairs. A lady at the flea market said I'm carrying her 'really high', but I can feel her movement all over at different times - with her head definitely to the right-hand side.

She has been consistently active -- squirming around and turning back and forth, lots of finger-movements on one side and rapid beating kicks on the other. She has surprised us a couple of time with very large movements visible from the outside. Yet, hardly any of these feel anything but 'funny' - no pain unless she presses her head/back up against my ribs. That will probably change as she gets even more constricted over the next few weeks ;) I still have to keep my ankles up quite a bit of the time, and having to sit there still makes me restless and wanting to do other things. Only my boots or slippers fit me now :( and even those I want off as soon as possible.

In other news: Mark's mother seems to be doing much better after her surgery! I was up there a bit today talking with her. Also working on re-drawing my kangaroo pattern for the pattern pamphlet. There might be a new prototype to show off in a day or so.


Baby List

Thanks to our parents and some of you as well we have most of our list! Thank you again! There's just a few things left for us to pick up and knowing more about breastfeeding/bottle-feeding should get us up to 'ready.' The class on this Saturday will make me more confident to know if we have thought of everything. I have to make more little quilts and bumpers as I know they will need to be washed often (and they are quick to make - I've just been making other things).

One of the things 'left' on the list is the changing table, but I'm reluctant to buy an expensive one because when I helped my sister take care of her baby (many years ago) we always used a bed, the crib, the kitchen table, couch etc... and there wasn't a changing table anywhere in the house. We might still need to buy a cheap one to go downstairs in our bathroom, as there isn't a good flat surface of adequate height there, but upstairs we have plenty of places, especially the bassinet (it's designed for that) to set her down and have clothes and diapers within easy reach.

Thank You Susan! Getting organized for Bazooka.

Mark's mom is in the hospital for appendix surgery - we are hoping this will all go smoothly and she'll be feeling better quickly!

Update: She came through the surgery okay, although it was more severe than they had thought... please keep her in your thoughts as she recovers.

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Susan at Knitiot Savant sent a huge box full of things from her little girl for baby Bazooka! There was just so much - Thank You Susan! I've only taken a fraction of it for a picture here - but she included lots and LOTS of baby clothes, blankets, a baby bath robe, baby toys including the fun blocks and bunny rattle below, and her breast pump as well. Our birthing class is on Sep 22nd, and I hope to learn more about the breast pump there.


A few items out of Susan's box of goodies
This is just a tiny fraction!
Jeans, toys, onesies, sleepers, sweaters and outfits of so many cute designs!
Susan's box also set me 'nesting' again - taking out and sorting everything in my two containers by size and putting all the bath and feeding items in one place. I'd been putting it in just 'as gotten' - and it wasn't very organized. There was also a lot still sitting on a high shelf which I brought down into easy reach for later.

Then I started packing the hospital bag - and that really makes me feel like this is going to happen soon (we have about 6 weeks to go). Thinking about what we are going to need for that first day really hits home!

So far there is some clothes in several sizes in there, a few receiving blankets, pacifiers and a 'take-on-the-go' kit I had found. The little lamb toy was one of the first things Mark's parents gave us when they heard about Bazooka ;)


Hospital bag partially packed. Underneath is the purple tie-dye baby gown my mom sent and more bassinet quilts I've been making


Pink bunnies bassinet quilt
I have enough batting for a pink set of bumpers too.

Made another snake for us to keep - and although this shot is blurry Pogo is giving it the raspberry right back ;) It was so funny to watch!

Bazooka update

I've nearly gotten all the used items we bought into the washing machine - now to repack them. My mom sent a box full of clothes, rummage-sale, clearance and new items. I keep worrying 'Bazooka' will be born bigger than usual, but my mom covered both ends of the spectrum by including 'preemie' all the way to 9 months. She bought a little tie-dye onesie at our county fair and it is quite cute :)

Mouse and I are going to have quite the battle over the bassinet. She says we're not using it yet, so why can't she? I've kicked her out of it four times just yesterday and today she snuck back in and was comfortably curled up when I tossed her out again. *sigh* stubborn Manx cat!

At eight months, we're on 'every two weeks' with the doctor so we go again next Wednesday. I'm curious to have the doctor estimate how Bazooka is sitting inside me next time. A kick or two a day is starting to be strong enough to make me say 'Whoa little girl, calm down!', but of course I don't mean it. I like to feel her kick and wiggle to know she is there. My back muscles and leg joints are finally starting to complain about the extra weight, epsecially at night, and I'm feeling a definite downward pressure on my pelvic bone at times. I'd heard about 'pelvic pressure' as the baby gets larger but didn't understand what they meant until it actually started happening.

My pregnancy book says this is all right on time, and at least I'm not miserable, just finally uncomfortable often enough to notice ;) I know most women have comfort complaints almost right from the get-go, so I'm grateful as well that it has taken this long. And yes, it will get worse right up until the day she comes (I know that) but our little girl is worth all of it. (and Mark says I get to hold it over her head for the next eighteen years *grin*)

Halloween

Well, I might not be ready for Christmas to come yet, but I can get a few things ready for Halloween.


A 'nice' witch with her broomstick

She is a re-interpretation of my old Madeleine / Lady Doll pattern

Speaking of Halloween, we went to the doctor again yesterday to get a check-up on Bazooka. He said we're at the point where things are getting close! He told me to start watching out for contractions! I haven't felt anything like one yet, he said 'I'll know' when it's a contraction, but that doesn't convince me yet. I'm only at 31 weeks, but most babies come between 36 and 40 weeks, so she could be here in as little over a month, or show up as scheduled around Halloween. That would fit right in with the name we've chosen, which is also one of the witch's names in a Terry Pratchett book, but that wasn't why we chose it ;)

The bassinet came in the mail today, such a big package! We haven't put it together yet. There will be pictures. I've also started washing things and hope to slowly get through the pile we've accumulated.

I'm starting to feel much more 'whoa, slow down' from my body lately. I get up and start to move and then suddenly I have to change my plans about how fast and how vigorous I can be at whatever task is at hand. I'm holding on to my stomach more, as well - as if there is more there that needs to be supported in all those twists and turns ;) The one foot that swelled last month or so is keeping up the habit, and I'm having a really hard time keeping it elevated, as that means staying in one place for long periods of time, not really my forte!

Pogo pictures and a surprise from Mrs.Pao!

DeeDee is doing well with her eight babies. They don't have their eyes open yet but seeing all the pink paws wave in the air is very cute.

Pogo was trying to get away from Bunny puppy this morning and fell asleep in the magazine rack again - she barely fits now!

I've been doing some more painting and listing some more of my art on Ebay


Mark keeps both hands busy with Kelba and Pogo

Pogo: 'Ear Rub! Ahhh....'

'Fox Makes medicine' ACEO card

What a wonderful surprise was waiting for us at the post office today!
Thank you so much Mrs.Pao! I was very confused by the 'New York' address and wasn't sure I was reading the 'from' address right until I opened up the card ;) It's all so CUTE!


Click picture to enlarge - cute onesies!


Equally cute sleepers and a baby shawl

Lots of bunnies and bears and stripes, how cute is that? Thank you from both of us! (well, all three actually)

29 weeks

29 weeks
Due date: 11/06/2007
Inches gained around waist: 10
lbs gained: 35
I'm getting round - compare to 22 weeks, and Bazooka is still being an acrobat. Had another doctor check-in today, everything seems to be going fine. Got to ask a few questions about the labor procedures for this doctor as well, and wasn't unhappy with his answers.

One of the things I was worried about was a 'time limit' to be in labor before they go to C-section. Some doctors in some hospitals have a time limit set based on convenience, not on how well the labor process is going. I'm glad to hear ours isn't one of those doctors.

We've ordered the crib and I still have a few more things to make. Just a few items are left on our list and then its basically waiting and reading more about the actual labor. First time mom, so I'm a little worried about not knowing what is going to happen - but then, that's normal, and I know it's going to be different for everyone.

Bunny Quilt

I made this small 'quilt' yesterday. It is 24 by 32 inches. It's definitely not a 'professional' job, I made it on the fly out of my fabric stash. I'm really liking the quickness of the sewing machine, but will have to work on my accuracy with it more when things really need to be 'exact.'


'Bunny' quilt for Bazooka
Her crib, which we will probably order at the end of the month (since it takes two weeks to get in to the store) will be 34 by 20 inches. This small quilt can also be useful for covering up her car seat carrier or as a playmat. It isn't extremely heavy - just a layer of flannel in betweeen the top and the bottom. I can always make a bit bigger and/or thicker ones as well.


We picked up this nearly new car seat at the flea market.It looks a lot like the one on the shelf at WalMart. We found the instruction sheet for it online at the manufacturer's site and I ordered a new locking-clip for the seat belt on Ebay. If it gets a little cooler tonight maybe I'll take it out to the truck and see how it fits in there.


Pogo shows off her furry tummy and cute black-bottomed paws