Movement + D-Day

As I was relaxing and watching some shows on the Food Network (what I've done every afternoon for the last 2 weeks), I decided to get out the video camera to capture some of the boy's movement in my belly. He was a little more active before I got up to get the camera, but you get the idea. I think the best wiggles are around 45 seconds or so. Some days it's almost painful the thrashing around he does!



I also wanted his movement inside me captured for looking back on in the not so distant future. Baby has been handed his eviction papers and if all goes well will be here in a matter of days. I really can't believe that in no time, we'll be bringing a baby home. That we get to keep!

The Nursery

I started my maternity leave Monday, so I've been scurrying around trying to get things "ready" for when the boy arrives though I'm not convinced you can ever be even close to ready. I know that the car seat is in the car, I have some things packed for the both of us for the hospital and the trip home and the child has a place to sleep.

For anyone who has ever been to our house knows space is at a premium and we only had one option for a nursery - the little 10' x 7' office on the main level. We managed to fit everything in and then some!

The view from the door:



The only configuration we could get to work with the layout of the room was to have the crib and changing table together. Oh well. I added some extra storage with the baskets and fabric pouches.



My Mom did basically all the sewing in the room - from the bedskirt to the pouches to the chair slipcover and even found the time to make these little fabric birds for a mobile! I saw the idea on a few different blogs, but it comes from Spool.



Slipcovered chair with bookshelves:



To keep the wall across from the crib as flat as possible, I ordered a little branch decal from Etsy.



The room is a little on the busy side, but it's a nursery and there were so many things that I wanted to include and not much space to include them in!

Lois likes it



So there you have it - where the new child will spend his time! Now we wait for said child...

Getting there...

I was thinking of renaming this blog "Jess's belly" but I'm hoping there will soon be something else to post about. Until then, here she is...



What should we notice about this belly?

1. It is about 3 days away from housing a full term baby boy.

2. I had to photoshop the crap out of the photo because it was so dark. Maybe someday we'll really learn how to use the nice camera we bought TWO years ago.

3. Keep looking at the belly so you don't notice the puffy face.

4. My belly button has started to poke out. I wasn't actually sure it would happen!

5. It is covered by a full panel jean. I didn't realize how weird it looks until I was going through the photos. Oh well, I can't handle the lower jeans - the elastic gets all folded over and annoys me.

But I digress...

Maternity sneak peek

Ok, ok everyone. I know you're all clamoring for more photographs of my pregnant belly. I'm happy to oblige.

We had maternity photos taken on Sunday with the fabulous, super fun, totally adorable Gina Zeidler. I got some sneak peeks today!







So great, right? I usually hate photos of myself, but I think these are pretty cute! We get the rest in a few weeks, so I'll be sure to share. If you are looking for a maternity photographer, I highly recommend Gina. She'll also be taking the boy's newborn photos and I can't wait to work with her again!

Evolution of a belly

Call it a loss of faculties (why else would I put this much flesh on the internet), but I thought I'd post a summary of my belly growth so far this pregnancy. I've been working on a baby album for the boy and already had these photos expertly and uniformly staged and cropped.


I don't feel that the belly has gotten very big yet, but looking at the photos it's clear that something is happening in there. In fact, we had a growth ultrasound this morning and the boy is already 3.5 lbs!! (Where are the other 25?) He looks perfect and is busy working on blinking and yawning and eating his arm. He is also very much still a boy and appears to have the genitalia of a grown man. (You're welcome, son.)

Summer 2010 in review

Summer 2010 is as good as gone. What have we done with ourselves?

Well, I'm totally knocked up as everyone knows. (It's Rob's) (We think) (Probably) I've been promising Emily pictures for a few weeks now so I'd better deliver.


Don't mind the bloated blurry look, I think I broke the camera.

Rob has been keeping himself busy entering as many triathlons as he can afford. He's getting faster - one overall top ten, and even 2nd in his age group at a Half Ironman (70.3 mi).

Before the swim of the St. Croix sprint tri

Coming into the finish - for 8th place!

After the Half Ironman with training partner Eric

Lois has been figuring out where she belongs with the baby on the way. She's pretty sure this new room is hers. That white rug is begging for some black dog hair.

There's just a little bit of what we did to keep busy this summer. We have another 4 months before the newest member arrives, which we'll try to make the most of.