Baby K: week 40

"The bun is now officially burning in the oven."

As quoted by my good (and supportive) friend Whitney.

Thanks.

Week: 40+

Due Date:  September 27th 

Baby K: Baby K is the size of a pumpkin weighing anywhere between 6-9 lbs. although I think this pumpkin may be closer to 9. She is probably measuring anywhere between 19-20 inches from head to heels.  There isn't much else to share since she should be fully formed and ready to meet the world.  We are certainly ready to meet her.

Nausea:  A little bit for the first time this pregnancy.  It comes and goes.

Swelling:  Yes.  I now have a hard time writing, typing and pretty much doing anything with my hands.  My feet are just gross.  

Aches and Pains:  Oh yes.....my body is definitely prepping for her exit. 

Cravings: Still ice cream.  Lots and lots of ice cream.  And liquids.  Anything I can drink.  I have been insanely thirsty these past few weeks.

Aversions:  Clothing.  My work clothing specifically - the elastic bands squeezing my lower tummy is killing me as I sit at my desk.  Plus I have even outgrown my maternity clothing.

Bump: Still lumpy and hard - all the time now.  And definitely lower.

Movement: Not much.  My giant baby has no room.  Sometimes she feels the need to stick her fit up my ribs - ouch.

Looking forward to:  GOING INTO LABOR.

Missing the most: Walking at a normal pace and with a normal stride.  

Pregnancy milestone hurdle: Delivering a giant baby.  And waiting to deliver her.  

never enough knitting

I can't stop.

Baby K has over 30 hats and 15 headbands and counting.....

A Halloween preview.

For apple and pumpkin picking.

Go Bears!

Love this little set.

And of course headbands....

And this is just a sampling....

She better come soon (which doesn't look promising by the way) because I am using my needles and yarn as my distraction.  

Baby K: 36 weeks

Almost there.  1 month (give or take) until we get to meet our little girl.  I am rooting for an early arrival but am pretty certain she will be late.  It's a safer mindset for this fragile, preggo brain.

Week: 36

Due Date:  September 27th 

Baby K: Baby K is the size of a bowling ball (yikes) weighing about 6 lbs. and measuring about 18.5 inches from head to heels.  She is packing on the pounds ounces at the rate of an ounce a day.  She is starting to shed the peach fuzz that covered her body along with other substances that protected her skin from the amniotic fluid.  She is definitely getting ready for her big debut.  

Nausea:  None.

Swelling:  Yes.  My feet and hands are huge.   

Aches and Pains:  Of course, there is a bowling ball in my tummy.  Well what actually feels like my back.  Lots of back pain.  Lots of cramping.  Lots of Braxton Hicks. 

Cravings: Still ice cream.  Lots and lots of ice cream.

Aversions:  Heat.

Bump: Lumpy and hard with a few elbow jabs now and then.

Movement: Slowing.  She is running out of room so her movements are less karate and more synchronized swimming.....bad analogy?  

Looking forward to:  Meeting my baby girl!

Missing the most: As ready as I am to meet my baby girl, I am trying to enjoy the last month of this pregnancy because I know I will miss having her be a part of me.  Feeling her move inside of me and easily being able to take her EVERYWHERE I go.

Pregnancy milestone hurdle: Still picking out a baby name and finishing thank you notes.  Basically finishing everything that needs to happen so we can welcome this baby home.

And here is a close-up comparison of the last 4 weeks.  What will the next 4 weeks bring?!

old filing cabinet turned fabric storage

Earlier this summer I scored two small desktop filing systems for free!  I immediately knew I wanted to spray paint them a fun color and use them to house all my fabric that lost it's home due to the baby.  My summer project has been to completely clear out my entire craft room and all it's contents so we can turn it into the nursery.  We have a three bedroom home and when we first moved in my husband took one room for his office and I took the other for my crafts.  Now with a little one on the way we need one of those bedrooms for the nursery.  I always knew I would lose my craft room to the nursery and I thought it would be so sad and awful but it has been the opposite.  Instead of trying to relocate to the basement or other corner of the house I decided to just get rid of EVERYTHING!  Well almost everything.  I am keeping my knitting and sewing.  Thus the need for fabric storage.  These came to me just at the right time.

I really wanted to keep the hardware silver but couldn't figure out how to remove it so instead I wrapped the handle part in painter's tape.

Then I gave it a coat of primer.

Once that was COMPLETELY dry I gave it a few light coats of green spray paint.

I've learned over the years that MANY light coats is much better than one heavy, blotchy, drippy coat.

I let this dry overnight to make sure it was completely set before assembling.  I didn't want any stickiness, especially since I was dealing with drawers.

Here is the finished product.

It holds my fabric, buttons, needles, thread and other small necessities perfectly.  I love how easy it is to find the fabric I am looking for or get an easy glance of every different color, pattern and texture for when I need some inspiration. 

Now I just need to figure out where to keep it.  Maybe in a closet with the sewing machine?

Instagram photo dump

I'm giving up the weekly update so every once in awhile I will just do a photo dump.  So here is my first photo dump.

Summer is definitely fading into fall and I couldn't be happier.  Not only does that mean we are closer to meeting our little girl but it means warm days and cool nights.  It means football season and lazy Sundays.  It means pumpkin picking and apple picking with lots of baking.  Oh and apple cider!

We are ending summer on a good note though.  The weather has been nice.  Even the few rainy days I haven't minded.  I took one cool, sunny day to plant all new fall pots and window boxes.  It looks like a different house.  Especially since the old ones had been dead for a long time.

I also had a very large baby shower.  It was so beautiful and nice.  We were so blessed by all our friends and family.  I just have to point out the beautiful and equally yummy cake pops Brandon's cousin Allison made for the shower.  You should check out her blog that showcases all her yummy treats!  I'l be sharing more about the shower soon.

That sums it up!  Now bring on fall....

Baby K: week 32

We've broken into the 30's and are getting closer to meeting our little girl.  This has been a wonderful pregnancy but I am ready for her arrival.  Well almost ready.  We still need to finish her nursery, buy some essential baby gear and pick out a name but in all other ways I am ready to meet her.

Week: 32

Baby K: Baby K is the size of a large jicama weighing about 3 3/4 lbs. and measuring about 16.5 inches from head to heels.  She is developing fat now and her skin is no longer clear.  It is becoming very soft and smooth.  If she has any, the hair on her head is growing and even has some color.  She is now pretty much a full-formed baby that just needs to fatten up - along with some other essential things.   

Nausea:  None.

Swelling:  Yes.  It is different from day to day.  Some days none, some days I can't wear my shoes and my neck disappears.    

Aches and Pains:  She has found my sciatic nerve - oh joy!  The good thing though is that it only acts up when she is positioned on it and she isn't always on it.  But when she does find it there is intense pain. 

Cravings: Ice cream!  I don't know if it is the heat or the pregnancy.  (Now I'm wishing I had a bowl of ice cream in my lap instead of this laptop.)

Aversions:  Chicken.  This is new to me but I'm kind of not digging chicken too much.

Bump: Growing.  And growing, and growing.  I think I have one giant baby in there.

Movement: She is still very active.  I love just watching her move or feeling my bump for her various body parts.  I think I am getting better at distinguishing butt from head and heel from elbow.  It is also funny to see the different shapes my belly can form depending on where she is laying.  I think she favors my left side.  Oh and the hiccups.  Gotta love the hiccups.

Looking forward to:  My baby shower this weekend!!  

Missing the most: Bending over.  Painting my toes.  Tying my shoes.  Shaving my legs.

Pregnancy milestone hurdle: Picking out a baby name.

DIY: Bibs & Burp Cloths (and a great pillow tutorial too)

My husband and the pups headed out to the lake this weekend leaving me an empty house and lots of time.  I took the opportunity to tackle some sewing projects on my list - specifically the roman shades for the nursery.  Since the sewing machine has been collecting dust lately I thought it best to warm up on some practice projects - bibs and burp cloths.  Once I started on those I just couldn't stop.  I still have yet to start the roman shades.

They were actually so easy to make.  They are a great beginner sewing project and perfect for scrap fabric.

For the bib I used the Purlbee's Liberty Bib pattern.

I used several different fabrics that I had laying around.  Cotton for the front and then either a terry cloth, fleece or soft blanket material for the backing.

Once I cut out the pattern I laid my fabric with the right sides facing each other and then folded the fabric in half.  I also folded the pattern in half and laid it on the fabric with the folded sides facing eachother.  I traced the pattern with chalk leaving enough of an allowance for a nice seam.  Oh and note in the middle picture that before tracing I did pin my fabrics together so they didn't move as I traced and cut out the pattern.

Once the bib is cut out unfold it, repin along the edges and sew all around making sure to leave at least a 2 inch gap for pulling your bib right side out.

Once the bib is right side out, sew along the edge again making sure to sew the gap closed.

Add a snap or some velcro to the neck and you are done!

 The burp cloths are even easier.  I just cut the same cotton fabric and the same backings and sewed them the same way I did the bib but in varying sizes.

I actually am excited for my baby to drool and spit up so I can use these adorable burp cloths. 

My last quick project before tackling the roman shades was a pillow for the glider in the nursery using the same fabric as the roman shades.

I love how this fabric looks in the room.  I think the roman shades will be perfect in there.

I have tackled pillows before using a zipper but this time around I decided to follow the tutorial from Jenny Steffens Hobick blog.

I will never make a pillow any other way.  It literally took me minutes to put this pillow case together!  I'm already looking for fabric to recover every pillow in my house.

Here is a view of the back of the pillow.  You can kind of see the slit where the pillow slips in. 

I hope you give some of these projects a try.  Especially if you are new to sewing and looking for some easy projects to practice.

I will be back soon with some updates on the roman shades.