Monthly Archives: May 2010

On My Own Again

It’s weekend #2 of the Mister being gone, so this means more alone time. If you don’t count the wee human that lives in my abdomen. However, I am also spending some of the weekend with my girlfriends. So don’t think I am locked up and crying in a tower or something.

I can also be found sleeping in the middle of the bed without regard.

I have always slept on the right side of the bed since I grew out of my crib. But this weekend I decided to try out the middle. Not bad at all. Especially when there are the mister’s pillows that I can steal. Picture a gigantic pillow nest and a gigantic lady with nap-face within the nest. Heavenly. Yes, I still woke up way too early this morning, but at least there were smoothies.

I have eaten an average of one mango per day for the last 2.5 months. Just so amazing.

The advantage to early rising and being alone in the house is getting a lot done before 10 a.m. I paid bills, wrote thank-you cards, went to the store, baked banana muffins for the new neighbors, ate two breakfasts, potted six plants, and cleaned the floor and kitchen. The disadvantage to all this ambition is that my body would rather be in the nest of pillows. I have to give in eventually. OR there is the option to keep going. In which case my body mutinies against my mind. I was literally crawling on the nursery floor during a project this afternoon because walking is just so painful sometimes.

But look at my pretty project results! I hope Baby B likes staring at these.

I know this isn't an infant toy, but I am sticking it in the nursery until he is mobile. Because it is a ridiculous fluffy llama. I love it.

This is my nursery project supervisor/overseer, Porpus Boley. She thanks her grandma in Michigan for the wonderful rocking chair and afghan.

If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Miss Schween Boley Esq., then you will be surprised to learn that she goes out on the balcony on her own and doesn't completely lose her mind. Even when there are loud noises. Even when a leaf touches her. She is so brave.

Let There Be Life

Most of the gardens I have taken pictures in up until now are other people’s property. So the three photos above are special because these are actually my babies. They live on my balcony now, and are soon to be joined by Morning Glories and Moonflowers if all goes well. They are going to try to grow from seed and I’ll be waiting anxiously for the soil to birth little green things. I have challenged them to a birth race. We’ll see who wins. Ready. Set. GO.

Worry Not

These are Worry Dolls. Have you heard of them? Here, let me google that for you.

My friend, Casey, brought these back for me after a trip. I used to have a tiny bag of them when I was little, only they were the really mini-version.

The concept is this: assign a specific worry that you have to a doll, and tuck her in under your pillow at night, so that she has deal with that worry and you can sleep peacefully. What a great concept. They are the poor man’s Ambien. A great idea for kids, although I think pregnant ladies in the third trimester could really benefit from these as well.

How many times have you been lying in bed, just wishing you could halt your thoughts, anxieties, or to-do lists so you could just fall asleep? Why is it so hard to keep the mind from racing? I’m sure there is some kind of meditation for this problem that I don’t know how to do at the moment.

My biggest worry right now is something that is completely out of my control. A pointless anxiety. I would gladly give it to a little doll to worry about, because she will have as much luck as anyone in changing the course of events that would relieve this anxiety. I hope she doesn’t have a tiny panic attack. But then again, she is made for this kind of thing. I’m sure she’ll be able to handle it. Best of luck with my worry, little one. I am done with it.

I guess that I am doing pretty well if I am only tucking in this one doll. When there is a whole pile of them under there, then it may more of a concern.

31 Week Watermelon

As promised, I am jumping ahead from 27 weeks to the current state of things. Which is about 31 weeks and 3 days. I don’t really know what to do about the food comparison anymore. Baby B isn’t going to get much longer than he has been for the last month, but he will certainly be getting fatter. I am entering a stage where he is supposed to DOUBLE IN SIZE over the next 6 weeks. So only one fruit really comes to mind.

Watermelon.

That is what it feels like anyway.

Mmmm. Fruit. I can’t get enough fruits and veggies lately. Ever since the weather hit 80-90 degrees I have been craving raw stuff. This is awesome because it is way easier to eat healthy in the heat. Things that are not awesome in the heat? PANTS. I refuse to wear them if it is above 80. So that is why you see the hippie dress in this series.

It is funny when people tell me that I don’t look like I have gained (XX)lbs. They are being so nice to the pregnant lady. I miss my old face the most. This was a year ago. I am hoping to be back there by May of next year. I MISS YOU, FACE! oxox

Even though I am having the typical third trimester woes, I have to admit that I am kind of enjoying myself. It is such an exciting time, that the physical problems pale in comparison with the overwhelming change that is about to happen at our house. I don’t feel like I am in the home stretch yet, but I can nearly see it. Although every stranger that talks to me gets all excited and exclaims “ANY DAY NOW!!!!” Um. No.

Justin is going to guest post here in a bit to give his dad-to-be perspective on all the pre-baby happenings. Should be a good one. Stick around.

Home Sweet Home

Schween Boley’s dad arrived home last night. She is beside herself with happiness. *Armpit Head Kerplop*

The Xbox is finally fixed after months of being idle. So this means some quality #1 Cat Dad time for Miss Schween. All is right in her world.

Sunday Afternoon DPH

This is the first weekend in months that I haven’t felt like I need to be doing anything. And funny enough, that meant being more productive. Not productive on the nesting front, but in the photo and blog portion of my life that has been grossly neglected. I may even design a new header tonight (update: done and done). Shocking!

Let’s talk about a little concept called Time to Myself. I have two months left of that. Time to stare at the wall or the sun on the curtains. Time to space out on the balcony. Hours to nap on the couch until my hips become sore and I move to the bed. Afternoons to just think about what kind of plants might possibly live on my balcony. I want a bunch of lavender, rosemary, and moon flowers so that it smells amazing out there.

I can go on extended shopping trips alone. There is no one to look after, to feed, to change, to entertain. I can hop in the car without looking like I’m headed on a three-day infant camping trip. No bags beyond my trusty Michael Kors, that will soon be traded for a JJ Cole.

I can keep the house clean without much effort. Do only a couple of loads of laundry a week, and take out the trash without worrying about carrying a baby on the other hip. I can read a book without interruption, take a bath for so loooooonnnng that I nearly fall asleep, and eat ice cream before bed without guilt about cheating on the post-baby diet.

If I could sleep in, oh I certainly would. But 5:30 is the new wake up time apparently. I can get ready for work at my own pace, waddle to the train without guilt about leaving anyone behind, and then talk to grown ups for the whole day. I wear mascara everyday, and would never leave the house in pajama pants. I can eat lunch downtown with friends, and wander the stores without worrying about a stroller getting through the racks or finding for a bathroom that has a changing station.

But here is the thing. Even though I will lose many of the personal luxuries listed above in just two short months, I can’t stop wanting that moment to come. I want everything that comes with being a parent. I want the good, the bad, and the ugly. I want a growing family. I want to worry about holding hands when crossing the street, bedtime stories, and skinned knees. I want the late nights, and early mornings, the sick days with sprite on the couch, and pumpkin carving. I want Legos. I want Cheerios stuck to my shirt and gum in my hair. I want to teach and I want to learn. I want to take my baby to new places, see the world for the first time through new eyes, wonder what it is like to pet a kitty for the first time. I want to watch Justin teach Baby B to swim. I want to watch Finding Nemo for the 6 bajiillionth time. People, I want spit up on my new blouse and an exploded diaper in my Moby wrap.

If you haven’t felt anything like this, then congratulations on missing the crazy boat. Please sleep in and have an extra long brunch and then wander your neighborhood. Seriously. Because that is sweet stuff. And because once you find yourself with the baby fever, you will be craving onesies and organizing your changing station on a Friday night before you know it.

You will have to excuse me now, but a certain someone is kicking my ribs because I can only assume he wants ice cream. And I love fat baby thighs, so he is getting what he wants.

Here is some lazy afternoon DPH from the Boley house. Complete with a 20 second video of some sun flickering on a wall. I won’t mention how long I actually stared at that by myself.

25, 26, 27 Weeks

Um, hi there. Long time no belly pics, eh? Well, I am feeling normal (kind of) again after the move, and plan to take the 31 week shot today using guest photographer Amber. She doesn’t know yet. She thinks she is coming over to see my new place and have a leisurely patio brunch and maybe a smoothie on the balcony. Heh.

SO. A million years ago I was 25 weeks along and packing boxes like mad. Baby was as long as a beautiful Challah loaf. No, I didn’t bake it. I was so busy I thought my face was going to fall off.

Then we moved. And I was 26 weeks. Also too busy for new recipes. So I got very nostalgic for preschool snack food, and went for ants on a log. Baby was about as long as a bunch of celery. These pictures are so old that there aren’t even leaves on the trees outside the window.

At 27 weeks, I baked cookies for the neighbors below us that had been nice enough to bake us a welcome cake. Can you believe that? I know. I stacked up the butter to the appropriate baby height and then totally forgot to take pictures of the peanut butter, banana, Nutella and chocolate chip cookies that I bake. Drat. Although I did manage to take a picture of the butter sitting in the baby rocking chair that was sitting in the unpainted nursery.

So there you have it. Now comes the part where I have to admit that I am a full month behind on this project. I wasn’t prepared for how hard the 3rd trimester gets. And how much weight I would put on. When I post 31 weeks, you will see what I am talking about.

Blog FAIL

My brother reminded me that I suck this morning. NO REMINDER NEEDED.

Yeah, so I have been absent the last month. Well, online at least. I’m still checking Twitter and Facebook via iPhone, but my google reader is bulging at the seams, much like my maternity pants at 29 weeks. I’ve read only my top 10 favorite blogs here and there, but otherwise I am clueless to what is happening in the other 854 posts that go unread.

I used to go online every night, but now I spend the nights testing my physical capabilities until I want to chop my feet off.

MY FEET.

They hurt reeaaal bad. Since we moved almost a month ago, I have had bruised heels, and cannot stand for more than…oh let’s say about 5 seconds before Feet scream in pain to overly ambitious Brain to STOP WALKING ON THEM. Feet have also recruited Hips and Legs in the fight against Brain. They are winning. I am sad. Everyday is harder than the last. The third trimester is serious stuff.

The good news about all this being absent from the web thing is that I have begun nesting with gusto. That is the only word that really describe this obsession. Before I started in on the nursery, the rest of the new apartment got a good taste of the nesting. More of a whipping than a taste actually. I can only assume that Justin is terrified of me, but he’s been studying for his last finals ever, so I am just a blur of crazy in the background that occasionally interrupts him to get my Mizunos laced up. (Not for running, for nesting.)

Wondering where the maternity photo series is? It is in my camera. We have taken pictures during all the absent weeks. I think. If you are wondering what the belly looks like now? Big. Face? Big. I am kind of regretting all this public display of fatness that I decided to engage in when I was a cute 16 weeks. But I’m sure I will be grateful for these photos some day. I will try to post them soon, although my priorities are clearly elsewhere at the moment.

Baby news? Well he is kicking all the time. We call him by name. We love him very much and can’t wait to meet him. Everything is starting to feel more real. We start going to birthing classes in a couple of weeks, and soon we’ll have a pediatrician picked out. We have a stroller. I have a shower coming up. The nursery furniture is being delivered tonight. I am going to do a load of baby clothes laundry tonight. Holy crap.

Anyway, apologies if you came here expecting a DPH or a maternity photo. But here is an crappy cell phone pic as evidence of my nesting:

I made curtains!

And here is a shot of the nursery before I touched the room:

Nursery: BEFORE

Stay tuned for the “AFTER.”