Queer & Pregnant & Parenting - July, August, September, and now October! - Page 8

[carmen358]

isa: I'm sorry you have to find a new home for your dogs That must be so hard.

dandy: So nice to hear that Adair is getting so strong. It will be so nice for you to have him home in a couple of months

Afm: We just got home from a camping trip that starling invited us to! It was fun to meet her and her lovely family and the other family that was there as well. E is a chatty sweetheart and H is such a content smiley little guy :) It was so cute to hear E and DD having funny little conversations. They are up there for one more night but we just stayed for 2 nights.

In pregnancy news, I started spotting 2 days ago and started bleeding heavy and cramping on the drive home this afternoon. I'm grateful my body is handling this naturally. I'll call tomorrow and cancel Monday's ultrasound.
 

[AmandaHope]

Carmen: I'm envious of the camping trip with Starling's family.  Regarding the m/c, I know it is best that your body is doing its needed work on its own, but I'm still so sad for you.   I am, however, looking forward to hearing about your adoption journey.

Isa: Poor you and DP having to re-home the pooches.  Hugs to you during this difficult transition in your family.

Dandy: Go Adair! He sounds feisty! Hoping for two steps forward soon.

AFU: We head to the NW today.  I've been looking forward to this trip all summer.  We'll be in Olympia with my brother and his beautiful family this weekend, then Seattle to see friends for two days, then San Juan Island with my whole family for 10 days, then BC with my best friend and her family for a week.  Whew!  I'm taking five different carriers (two ring slings, a wrap conversion mei tai, a buckle carrier, and my fern wrap), and it was still hard choosing which ones to leave home!  I'm hoping that keeping Lilah close will help her through the flux of the next three weeks. It really is a lot of travel, but to see the people and places I love most, so I hope it will be worthwhile. The five hour flight today, however, will be rough. No doubts about it.  Deep breaths .
 

[darthtunaqueen]

Amanda I hope our weather will co-operate for you!  Where in BC are you headed?  The Vancouver pride parade is August 4th, the Dyke March is the 3rd.  Have a lovely lovely vacation, it sounds fabulous!!!

[seraf]

Carmen, hugs. No one should have to go through that. It certainly is a reminder of how special your daughter is.

AmandaHope, we only took 2 slings to Chicago. For 2 babies and 3 days. So it makes sense that you would need 5 wraps for 1 baby and 15 days.  We have been thinking that it would be nice to meet up with you in indianapolis someday, like when life settles down again.

Dandy, I haven't been following your blog lately (new phone in a week and a half) so I'm glad to hear an update.  We think of your family often. 

AFM, Soren and Sara are spending their first overnight away from me since the hospital.  Sara got a photo gig for the weekend and a friend up there is going to watch him while she does the actual work.  LOL, I wasn't invited.  Shay has taken a step on 3 occasions. He will be 9 months next week. He is 24 pounds and 30 inches. Dude is large.  He has 6 teeth (2 top middle, 2 bottom middle and top and bottom left. Yeah, baby!). I'm back at work, and getting a seasonal part time job. 

[onemommyonemama]

carmen - I'm so sorry. This isn't fair. Where ever you go next, we will be here for you and rooting for your fam.

sara - sounds like work is picking up a bit? I hope things are going well that way. Super stressful when work isn't as many hours as you need, etc... I hope everyone is well!

ahope - yeah for vacation! enjoy!!!

dandy - go adair go! We had fun at the first wellington waterloo queer fam meet up - can't wait to meet adair at one! it won't be long, you guys are doing great. Let us know if there is anything anything anything.

hello to everyone!

I`ve been on this board for over a year now - I realized - and wanted to say thanks to everyone for making it a great place to hang out :)

QUESTION: for all you lovely babywearin folks. I have a woven ring sling, an ergo, and a moby wrap. I`m thinking about getting another carrier. I am thinkign of a woven wrap - anyone have experience with thisÉ I want something that I can wear on both shoulders for sure. Something with more position options than the ergo (which I love also). I don`t want to spend alot but if you recommend some ideas, I`ll keep an eye on it used. I can also make my own wrap - just wondering about fabrics, etc. I want not stretchy. My little one is 16 pounds.

afm - We are adding a twin bed to our queen to make a monster fam bed. Sage sleeps so well with some space. THe crib sidecar wasn`t working for us this time around and there was a huge sale on natural mattresses, so we decided to go this way. DP had been sleeping on the couch to acheive sleeping harmony... We don`t have a foundation for the twin so now she will be sleeping on the mattress on the floor beside our bed. Poor DP. She doesn`t care, but she is lowest on the fam sleeping chain.

And in other crazy news - our family was in a car with funnel clouds overhead and no shelter for a lonng time. scariest ride of my life. We don`t get a lot of tornado activity up here. The sky was green. leaves were floating all around like a snowglobe. I was pumping milk in the front seat, feeding sage via bottle reaching into the back while DD1 slept just so we could get the hell outta there. We had left our sister`s cottage - which had tonnes of damage, and the cottage next door flattened. no one hurt! but yikes.

all is well - we are back home and enjoying the summer :) hi everyone!

[starling&diesel]

onemommy ... Scary indeed! My mom and I were on a road trip in Colorado once and a tornado warning came up on the radio as the sky blackened and the wind grew fierce.  We had to rive another hour until we found a truck stop where we waited it out with the truckers and other stranded folks.  The truck stop made free pancakes for everyone!

As for wraps, I have a 5 metre Vatanai that is my go-to work horse.  I got it used, and so it was all soft and worked in already.  I can do all the wraps that require longer fabric, but it's a bit cumbersome for the shorter ones.  I would drool for a Girasol, or a Storch ... such gorgeous colours!  I will add a caveat that I use the woven less this time, because of wanting a quick in and out, what with having E as well as H.

Amanda ... Are you going to the island again?  Let me know the dates.  You never know, we could maybe do a day trip and have coffee with you!  Maybe I could convince Carmen and S to come along!

Dandy ... Great to hear from you!  Go Adair!  

Seraf ... Too bad the whole gang couldn't go with!  But great that Sara got a photo gig!  

AFM:  We had a great time camping!  Awesome to meet Carmen and her family.  S is an adorable whip-smart delight, and talks up a storm.  I love, love, love the little conversations that she and E had.  I just wanted to follow them around with a tape recorder.  (Do they even make tape recorders any more?)  It was neat to meet someone from MDC in real life!  I am still really close with my DDC from E, but we live all over North America, so a meet up isn't likely.  Let's try to make a BC coffee date, Amanda!

While camping, H wandered around on his own and managed not to get hurt or in too much trouble, even with all the forest floor to be put in his mouth or the resident bear to contend with.  And then wouldn't you know it, we got home and he choked on a piece of apple.  As in, coughed, stopped coughing, (insert heavy duty angle-down back blows here) turned red, turned blue, went limp.  I called 911 and while I was on the phone with the charge (a friend on mine, as it turned out) the apple popped out in a couple of chunks.  I drove us to the ER anyway because he'd gone blue and I didn't know how much apple he'd choked on.  They did a chest x-ray and an ENT consult and then we got the okay to go come.  Scary!  

On the subject of choking (and Seraf, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!), for those of you who do baby-led weaning and are less cautious about mashing and pureeing everything (we don't), have you had any choking episodes?  It never happened with E, but H is such a different kind of kid.  E has only ever gone to the hospital twice in 3.5 years, once for a burn (a waitress spilled hot coffee on her that resulted in serious burns) and for a fever that made her listless and wouldn't break.  I have a feeling that I'm in for it with H! 

About risk, in general, I am a very free-range parent, but H is testing my comforts with what has been mostly a philosophy until now.  E is so much more cautious and mindful and physically reticent, I'm finding it a whole new ball game with H.  I'd love to hear thoughts about this too!

[seraf]

OMOM, all my wraps have been homemade (just a cut of fabric).  Thicker material is more comfortable in general, but I'm pretty happy with thin muslin stuff. I'm not sure if you live someplace awesome, but near us there is a "lending library" for all different kinds of carriers and wraps.  Finding something like that might be easier than figuring out your favorite based on opinion (since we are all shaped differently).

Starling, first children versus subsequent children.  My first was so careful.  He wouldn't walk until he knew he could run.  His sister would LEAP on anyone or anything that moved past her.  Supervision was more spread out, too.  She had more opportunity to get into dangerous situations.  What kind of risk do you want to talk about? I try to protect Shay from the stairs. We have a gate. Because of our big age gap, I'm not sure if he thinks he is a first or 3rd.  He doesn't get into cabinets or drawers.  I try to keep him away from sharps in general.  I guess I try to keep everything in his reach safe-ish stuff? There are plenty of things for him to get into. Many things to put in his mouth.  He stands, crawls, sticks his hands in the dog's mouth.  Today I pulled a chunk of flip flop out of his mouth.  I have also had to remove such lovely things as rocks, feathers, nuts, magnets, beads, leaves, sticks, poop (his own, he was on a diaper removal kick for a while). His reach is getting higher and faster. I have never put locks on my cabinets, but I may move my knives to a magnet soon, since the drawer is nearly in his reach. He clearly has access to chokables.  I try to keep them up, but they multiply and he turns paper and cardboard into snacks, chewing off chunks all the time.  I also keep pill bottles out of his reach, because he has opened a few and that freaks me out.  Food, he has a had time with apples, too. He has never really choked, but he can get bits of apple up in that area behind his uvula, on the way up to the sinuses.  He did that for the first time recently.  Apple peels seem to be worse than the flesh. He also struggles with big pieces of meat.  I try to make sure they are a reasonable size or shredded loosely, otherwise he will crawl around with meat in his mouth until the next time he eats.  I think he has a harder time than the other 2 did, with swallowing.  I think it's because he wants to really eat more, and they were happy with nursing well past this age.  They didn't eat much for food before a year, and he is voracious (they had food sensitivities that probably hindered their appetite), so I think he tries harder to get things down than they did.

And he's up.

[carmen358]

Originally Posted by starling&diesel 

On the subject of choking (and Seraf, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!), for those of you who do baby-led weaning and are less cautious about mashing and pureeing everything (we don't), have you had any choking episodes?  It never happened with E, but H is such a different kind of kid.  E has only ever gone to the hospital twice in 3.5 years, once for a burn (a waitress spilled hot coffee on her that resulted in serious burns) and for a fever that made her listless and wouldn't break.  I have a feeling that I'm in for it with H! 

We did baby-led weaning. I was (and am) SUPER afraid of choking so we went really slow in terms of what we introduced. We did really soft stuff in small chunks to start and progressed very slowly. The only time DD gagged was when we tried to give her purees a few times ;) She hated them and is still not a huge fan - only recently she'll eat apple sauce! She also never liked us feeding her so blw was sort of our only option anyway ;) My DP was much more adventurous than I was. There were a couple of incidents where we flipped her over and did the back whack but she didn't get to a point of turning blue - just still in the coughing phase and may have been able to get it out on her own anyway. DP said she had to do it once when DD started turning red..I'm really glad I wasn't there for that.

[Mizyellow]

Ahhh the second child. Lennon is the most cautious, easy child I have ever met. H is the complete opposite. He has put poop in his mouth when we are outside at least 5 times, he eats mulch, beads, paper, books, you name it. His favorite game is diving off of the couch backwards onto the floor. I am pretty sure I am in for a few heart attacks before he is even 2! He has gagged a couple of times but never actually choked. I never really mashed things too much. I don't offer meat much because he vomits it up a lot but other than that if he can't swallow something he just kind of gags til it comes up. It freaks Chels out and she is always trying to finger sweep the poor kid. 

[seraf]

I forgot, the list of choking hazard foods. Hot dogs, apples, nuts, carrots, grapes, gummy candy. I don't remember what the other big ones are, but I sometimes wonder if they are larger choking risks or if they're simply fed to kids so frequently that they are choked on more. In nursing school, they said kids shouldn't be fed hot dogs until age 9. That seems more than a little extreme to me.

[lisedea]

Mini marshmallows! A child from a preschool my mom worked at choked and died on one....awful.

[sunderella]

Hello, all!

I am due on April 3, 2013, (if all things go well) with our first.  My partner and I have been trying for 4 months, which felt long, but in retrospect, clearly wasn't that bad.  We are a married queer couple who are psyched - and terrified - to become parents.  I know there are threads for Queer Parenting/Pregnancy, but I couldn't find one by due month - does that exist or should I check out the month to month group that is not solely queer?  

Thanks...

[prettyisa]

Saras: how was the first overnight apart? DP had to go out of town on a conference when E was about 2 weeks old, and that was rough. I haven’t had to sleep apart from her yet. Glad the work stuff seems to be resolving itself for you!

Omom—that is terrifying! I’m glad you’re all ok! We spent an interesting couple hours in the basement of the lodge at Mammoth Cave a couple weeks ago. The funniest part is that there are signs all over the place saying not to smoke in the buildings, but full ashtrays down in the ‘ladies lounge’ where we sat out the duration of the storm.

Starling and Carmen: Jealous of the meeting up. Any time you want to come through Chicago, give us a call!

I have nothing good to add to the choking conversation, and hope I never do! That whole list sounds terrifying in its ordinariness. I’m glad H is ok! We took CPR training recently, but I’m always afraid I’ll forget it in the moment.

Hi Sunderella! We don’t have a separate one for each month here in the queer section. You’re more than welcome to hang out with us if you don’t mind the different stages we’re all in. There are due date club groups separated out by month that you can join, too. I find that I get different things from being involved in each, so I like doing both. Congrats on the pregnancy!

AFM—first week of work was hard, but ok. I got pretty sad on one day, but DP brought the baby to work to visit and that cheered me up. I have no idea how people do this the real way (ie: put the baby in daycare). I feel like getting updates and pictures and being able to call is the only way I’m managing to get through the transition. E is fine, and happy, for the most part. DP reports that today she seems grumpier than usual—I wonder if she thought last week was an aberration and the weekend was a return to normal. Poor baby. I wish that were the case! I’m doing ok at work, and trying to convince myself that we’ll all get used to it and that it’s the best choice for us for now, even if I don’t like it.

[AmandaHope]

Isa: Congratulations on getting through your first week back at work.  This is the hard stuff, and it sounds like it is going as well as can be expected.  Hugs to you!

Seraf: How did the overnight go? Thanks for the list.

Seraf, Starling, others: First of all, I am incredibly relieved that H is ok. As for baby led weaning, we have to break everything up into tiny pieces for L or she gags and throws up. Every time I get a little lax about this (including on the plane, when I gave her a small chuck of peeled apple), she gags and vomits.  Anything stringy is especially bad, but it goes for just about everything. And she wants to feed herself, so I spend much time cutting food up into tiny pieces.

Sundarella: Congatulations on the pregnancy! That's fantastic!  Welcome. We'd love to hear more about you and your partner.

Darth: I really wish we could make it up for the dyke march in Vancouver.  Really, really wish.  But that is out weekend on San Juan Island with my brother's family, my parents, and my grandmother, so it is off limits family time.  Enjoy!

Starling: We're taking the ferry from Friday Harbor to Sydney on Friday the 10th (gets in around 11am) and then spending the day in Victoria with our friends, with whom we're driving/water taxiing up to Savary Island in Desolation Sound the next day.  So we'll only be in Victoria briefly, but we'd LOVE to see you and your kiddos.  Sadly, we won't make it to Vancouver on this trip.  We really need to spend a month in BC.  I'm not sure how to make that happen, but we'd enjoy every minute of it.

Omom: SCARY! Glad you are ok.  Yikes.

Wraps... such a crazy wide world of possibilities.  The wraps I've seen recommended as good solid workhorse starter wraps are Didymos stripes (cotton), Hoppediz, Vats (as Starling recommends), and Storchs (Storchenweig??). Cotton Dolcinos are also nice--thin but strong. I have a Girasol wrap conversion ring sling, as while YES Giras are beautiful, they are NOT particularly supportive, and they are really grippy, which is bad news for longer length wraps that you'd use for multilayer carries. I'd stay away from Divas and Oschas, which are really overpriced right now.  There is a facebook babywearing swap where hundreds of used wraps are sold every day. Let me know if you want me to add you.  You can also buy wraps on The Babywearer, though I don't have any experience there.  Many sellers are from Canada or will ship to Canada, sometimes for a bit extra. I'd definitely recommend getting a used wrap that is nice and broken in, though this matters less for 100% cotton wraps than other fibers (especially linen blends, which I love for their rock solid strength, but which need lots of breaking in).  The question of length is important. If you want to be able to do strong back carries for long stretches of time (over about 30 minutes, I guess), my favorite carry is the Double Hammock.  Average sized women can do a DH in a size 6 (about 4.6-4.8 meters). I'm a bit "fluffier" than average and can pull it off in a 6 but prefer a 7 (which is 5.2m, like a Moby). If you got a 6, you could probably do all the carries, but the length does get tedious for quick rucksack back carries and for hip carries.  Personally, I find that for hip carries, I just use my ring sling. If you are thinking of popping the babe up on your back for 10-15 min at a time to get a few things done, you could do rucksack carries with a much shorter wrap, probably a size 3. But rucks get diggy on the shoulders after a while.  There is also a Facebook Babywearing Love and Support page, where people are usually quite helpful.  Let me know what you decide and if you have other questions.

AFM: The trip out here was tough but ok, and we had a wonderful time with my brother's family. Seeing all four girls play together got me quite emotional--I  regret living so far from them.  They live in a lovely house on 3 acres of wooded land very close to one of Puget Sound's dozens of tiny Southern inlets.  They have fruit trees, tree houses, a forested zip line, a tire swing, two beautiful dogs, a blueberry bog in progress...the stuff of memorable and meaningful childhoods and satisfying everyday lives.  They both work for the state and don't make huge salaries but love what they do.  I'm proud of my little brother and wonder, sometimes, why my first-born ambition led me away from the places and people I love the most. I do love my work, and I'll do everything I can to try to get a job out here eventually, but the chances are very slim.  Sigh. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the next few weeks all I can!  Headed up to San Juan Island tomorrow. 

Edited by AmandaHope - 7/31/12 at 8:14am

[planet]

Hi you all!  The other day, I spent a long time writing a long post with lots of personals, and then right as I was finishing up, my internet browser decided to crash.  Frustrating!  Ah, technology.  Something always goes wrong. ;)

Dandy, it was great to hear an update!  I've been following your blog.  I'm so impressed with you & your DP's loving parenting and also with how well you are taking care of yourselves and each other.  Your blog is incredibly honest and beautifully written - thank you for sharing.  I think about you guys a lot.  Adair looks amazing!  I love how feisty and strong he is!  Happy one month birthday, Adair!

Crystal, I'm sorry about everything you are going through with your relationship.  Your ex's actions just show (even more) that she is/was simply not ready for the kind of commitment, honesty, and care that a family relationship requires.  I know you put a lot of energy into trying to make things work.  You did everything you could, and you've done an amazing job taking care of your little one.  Keep doing what you're doing - take care of yourself, your baby, and get love & support from your family and friends.  You will not feel this way forever!  Keep breathing through it.

OMOM, that sounds terrifying.  I'm glad everybody's okay!  Jeez!  I can't even imagine.

Starling, I'm so thankful that H is okay!!!  Scary.  Thinking about choking has always given me great fear.  As a teacher, we do CPR/First Aid certification every year, and I always break out into a silent panic when we cover the choking part!  I hope I won't be the kind of parent who is too terrified to let their kid eat!  Luckily, my partner is very relaxed about these kinds of things, so that should help us get through it.  I think I'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it!

Amanda, your trip sounds amazing!  Where does your brother live?  Sounds so incredible.  I'm in Seattle, so perhaps one day on future family trips we could meet.

Sunderella, welcome and congratulations!  You are very welcome to hang out here.  Everyone is at a different stage.  I'm pregnant with my first baby, and I find it really helpful to hear people's experiences from a variety of stages of parenthood.

AFU.. 31 weeks now, I can't believe it!  We are suddenly, somehow, in the home stretch.  The whole "nesting" thing has begun to kick in.  I've been going through all our closets, cabinets, hidden piles of papers and stuff (there's a LOT...) trying to make some order out of the chaos and hoping to make some room for all the baby gear.  We've been very fortunate and have been handed down many important items - a couple wraps, a co-sleeper, play mats, TONS of clothes & blankets... My sweet partner is also "nesting" but doesn't have as much free time as me to obsess.  I'm also up to my ears in paperwork, trying to apply for free healthcare for the baby through DSHS (I know all you Canadians don't have to deal with this kind of BS!) and hoping that everything will work out. 

I've been really enjoying feeling the baby move around a lot, having people (finally) be able to tell I'm preggers, daydreaming about the fun times we'll have, watching my partner interact with my belly, and just in general I'm appreciating the pregnancy and remaining aware of how fortunate we are.  I've have *not* been enjoying the heartburn, which managed to get even more excruciating (something I never would have thought was possible!), achy feet, sore hips, and people STILL telling me I'm "tiny" and comparing my body size to other people's.  I know I am a small person, always have been.  I have gained like 30 pounds and feel huge and very pregnant!  My baby is growing at a healthy pace and every time the midwives measure & weigh me, they are pleased.  When people say things like, "Are you SURE you're eating enough?!" I get a lot of anxiety and start comparing my body to others' bodies, something I try really hard not to do.  Sigh.. Sometimes it seems like in this world, no matter what size you are, someone will always tell you that it is wrong!

Much love to all of you! xoxo

[seraf]

Sundrella, welcome!

AmandaHope, your trip sounds great.

Originally Posted by prettyisa 

Saras: how was the first overnight apart?

AFM—first week of work was hard, but ok. I got pretty sad on one day, but DP brought the baby to work to visit and that cheered me up. I have no idea how people do this the real way (ie: put the baby in daycare). I feel like getting updates and pictures and being able to call is the only way I’m managing to get through the transition. E is fine, and happy, for the most part. DP reports that today she seems grumpier than usual—I wonder if she thought last week was an aberration and the weekend was a return to normal. Poor baby. I wish that were the case! I’m doing ok at work, and trying to convince myself that we’ll all get used to it and that it’s the best choice for us for now, even if I don’t like it.

The overnight was fine on my end. Shay and I slept sideways across the bed, in the morning I missed Soren the most, because we play in the mornings.  Sara seemed to have a good time and Soren had his first babysitter.

I don't know how they do the daycare thing, either.  We all just do what we have to do and set our minds right, I guess. I am working full time this week and it's been hardest for Sara and the boys. Yesterday was day 3 of 4 (40 hour work week plus 8 hours travel time, yuck) and both boys just wanted to nurse with Sara all day. Shay woke up sad because I normally get up with the boys for the first hour or 2 and he had already been away from me 2 days before, but only one morning. This morning Soren smiled at me til I thought his cheeks would fall off, so I guess he missed me, too.

Originally Posted by planet 

I've been really enjoying feeling the baby move around a lot, having people (finally) be able to tell I'm preggers, daydreaming about the fun times we'll have, watching my partner interact with my belly, and just in general I'm appreciating the pregnancy and remaining aware of how fortunate we are.  I've have *not* been enjoying the heartburn, which managed to get even more excruciating (something I never would have thought was possible!), achy feet, sore hips, and people STILL telling me I'm "tiny" and comparing my body size to other people's.  I know I am a small person, always have been.  I have gained like 30 pounds and feel huge and very pregnant!  My baby is growing at a healthy pace and every time the midwives measure & weigh me, they are pleased.  When people say things like, "Are you SURE you're eating enough?!" I get a lot of anxiety and start comparing my body to others' bodies, something I try really hard not to do.  Sigh.. Sometimes it seems like in this world, no matter what size you are, someone will always tell you that it is wrong!

Sorry about the heartburn! The rest of your description is almost enough to make me miss pregnancy. Those things are so sweet. About the size, LOL, someone will always tell you you're wrong, it's practice for when you have a baby who is "huge" or "tiny" sometimes both in the same day.  I take it as a compliment. Like, they want to talk to me so much that they can't even think about politeness when they open their mouths.

Things here are good.  Busy but good.  I'm working a lot this week, randomly. I am also in the process of getting a job at an immunization clinic (the irony is not lost on me). Soren will be 3 months tomorrow and he is awake more and just starting to chuckle. Shay is 9 months today and just starting to dance. I didn't catch either on video, but here are a couple of recent ones

.

[onemommyonemama]

hey everyone - its been a bit slow here hey? how about we all post a photo or 3 ;) bellies, babes, USs, BPFs :)!!!

here is a pic of sage - she got her first tooth! 4 months old! DD1 was 8 months!

[DesertSunsets]

Wow guys, been a little quiet in here, huh?  We haven't been good at checking in recently, it's just been GO GO GO GO in our house.  

Sunderella, welcome and congratulations!  Usually this room has more going on, I guess it's a late-summer lull or something.  

Isa - so have you completed two weeks now?  Glad everything is going okay, but it's gotta be hard to leave the little tyke.  I am dreading having to go back to work after only two weeks with Evie.  Thankfully, DW has eight weeks and then Evie can go with her back to work until she's mobile.  And we have our moms and dads all willing to take a week off, each, to help stretch out the time before going to daycare.  And just the other day one of DW's friends was saying she was thinking of caring for another baby in her home, and asked if we were interested, so that is something that would make me feel better - if it all works out right.  We'll see.  

Amanda - your trip sounds fantastic, if not bittersweet.  DW's brother and girlfriend and their two sons live only about forty five minutes away from us, but we see them only a few times a year and that always hurts my heart.  Especially since they are little guys still, (2 and 8.5 months) I wish they could have a closer relationship with our DD.  Oh well.  My family lives about two hours north of us, which really isn't very far but some days I wish my mom lived next door.  I hope you can find a way to see your family on a regular basis, even if not all that often.  Can you skype with them?  

Planet, yahoo on the homestretch!  We're feeling that, ourselves.  And I can REALLY relate to the piles of papers comment, haha.  It is always strange, that people feel the urge to comment on size and things like that.  I'm sure you're just perfect for you and your babe!  Speaking of bellies, how about a picture?!  

Dandy - been keeping up with your blog!  I know you can't possibly check this forum often, but we are all thinking of you and your family!  Go, Adair, go! 

Seraf - Shay is such a little person these days!  And Soren even looks like he's grown a bunch!  What lovely boys you have.  Hope work is going good. 

Sara, been thinking about you too!  Hope you are doing well.  

As for us, we're complete slackers in the posting department.  Sorry, guys.  Anyway.  

Not this most recent weekend, but the weekend before was our baby shower.  And WOW, are we spoiled!  So many lovely people and wonderful gifts.  We had a tie-dyeing table outside, and a bunch of onesies and shirts and socks to dye.  A lot of people dyed things, and all the leftovers we took to DW's parents' house and finished up.  There are about 35 onesies/shirts, total, and six pairs of socks of varying sizes from newborn to 2T.  

We're 36 weeks as of Saturday, and I'm like, "Uh, when did this sneak up on me?!"  But it's very exciting nonetheless.  As of next Saturday we'll be cleared to birth at the Birth Center if DW goes into labor, all the way up to 41 weeks.  After that, we have to go through the hospital, but at least the midwives go with us and are still in charge of the birth.  We had a Birth Plan appointment with one of the midwives last Friday, and one of the cool things about going through the Birth Center is that if I want to, I can catch the baby!  Unless I'm busy supporting DW in a way that won't allow me to do that.  Whatever she wants.  

Our big project these past few weeks has been clearing out the old office and turning it into an office/guest room.  We had to get rid of one of the two desks and a huge drafting table, then try and box up all the crafting supplies and move it all out in order to steam clean the carpets.  We also replaced the curtain rod and the curtains, and I spent a couple hours yesterday hanging up all the "horse-themed" art in that room, as we are consolidating all horsey things to that room.  The nursery is coming along, just a few photographs left to hang and I have to paint her name, but then it'll be done as well.  Couldn't work on the nursery while the bed from the guest bedroom was hanging out in there!  

Last night we took some belly photos and did our belly cast. DW wanted to cast her belly before the baby drops, and according to DW's mom she doesn't have much longer before that happens. I hope she's right!  We've all been feeling that this baby is going to arrive before her EDD; we'll see.  I think it would be so awesome if she was born during the full moon at the end of the month, because it's a Blue Moon!  (A Blue Moon happens when there are two full moons during one calendar month.  The next Blue Moon won't happen until July 2015.)  But whenever she gets here, I'll be thrilled.  The belly cast was fun for me, but made DW feel ill to have all that plaster covering her torso up.  Good thing it hardens pretty quick!  We made it without her vomiting, and that is good GOOD news.  It still needs to be trimmed and finished, I'll post photos of that once it's in better shape.  Here are the photos, though! 

This is one of the booties DW knitted for Evie! 

This plush ducky toy is one that DW's parents brought back from a trip to Amsterdam and he is just the cutest thing.  

Okay.  You've heard enough from me!  Miss you guys.  Hope everyone is doing well!

[DesertSunsets]

Omom - crosspost!  That picture of Sage is precious.  Love it!  And wow, a tooth at only four months?!  She's ahead of the game!

[planet]

Seraf, those videos are adorable!  What amazing little guys!!!

OMOM, Sage is so precious. Congratulations on the tooth!  Maybe she just couldn't wait any longer to get ready to eat chewy foods!

Desert, you always post the most incredible photos!  I showed DP and he said he's inspired to start taking more artsy photos of my belly!  Congratulations to you guys for everything you are accomplishing in your home stretch!  You are so close, I can't believe it.  I'm glad you have plenty of brightly colored and lovingly created outfits for your little one.  So sweet!  And the office/ nursery sounds like quite a project.  I want to see pictures of the nursery when it's ready!  I can't wait for your babe to be born.  That's so awesome that you could possibly catch the baby!  I'm going to ask our midwives if maybe DP can catch our baby - that had never occurred to me, and sounds pretty glorious.  I am thinking of you guys and waiting in anticipation.  I feel like time has passed so quickly - I remember when you guys got your BFP and it doesn't seem that long ago!  Good luck with everything you are doing and thank you for keeping us posted!

AFU, we just celebrated our six year anniversary by spending a romantic weekend on Whidbey Island.  Six years of being together, and three years since our wedding.  Still in love!  It's been a happy time.  I am loving my summer vacation and am sad to see the end of it in sight.  Strangely, I am going back to work for a few weeks, starting on Aug. 20th, to help get the school year started, then I will begin my maternity leave mid-September-ish, depending on how I'm feeling and what makes sense with the school.  It is difficult to imagine being at work, but I will do my best!  In my last precious weeks of vacation, I am trying to go swimming at the lake as much as possible, while also trying to get everything we need together at a productive but not taxing pace.  That means verrrrrry slowly. ;) Here are some pics from our weekend.  Enjoy, and take care everyone! xoxo