Cherry Street Cottage

our little easter bunny

2013-03-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

I love Target.

I love the dollar section in Target.

I love these bunny ears found in the dollar section at Target.

I LOVE this little girl wearing the bunny ears found in the dollar section at Target.

Thank you Target. You have inspired most of our photo shoots.

5 months

2013-03-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

Well it only took me a month to edit these photos but let's be honest, it will probably take another month to edit the 6 months photos.

Ella at 5 months is SO much fun.

Smiling.

Giggling.

Babbling.

Spitting.

Bouncing.

Splashing.

Playing.

Eating solids.

Rolling. And rolling. And rolling.

Almost sitting.

And we finally figured out how to get past our belly and to our toes.

I finally feel like she completely understands what is happening around her. Well almost completely. We are still a little mystified with the mirror. She just adores the little girl on the other side. So much so that she always tries to eat her. That is what she does to the people she loves. Nom. Nom.

Bottom line: she is just so happy.

I am one lucky mama.

Oh the rolls.

And to prove she has a neck.

See a neck!

Easy, no-sew, 5 minute headbands

2013-03-12T15:34:00.001-07:00

It's time to say hello to spring and goodbye to winter and that means saying goodbye to all Ella's knit hats and hello to cute headbands. Ella is really excited about that.

And fortunately for me it is a lot easier (and faster and cheaper) to make a headband than a hat. So fast and easy that a busy mom can make one in 5 minutes in the nursery while their baby plays and I can prove it.

Materials:

Jersey fabric (scrap fabric or old t-shirts)

Scissors

Ruler

I made my headband to fit a 6-12 month head, about 16" circumference. I cut a strip of fabric that measures 18"x4". Here is a chart to help you with your desired dimensions:

Newborn: 14" (16x4)

3-6 mos.: 15" (17x4)

6-12 mos.: 16" (18x4)

1-3 yrs.: 18" (20x4)

3-10 yrs.: 20" (22x4)

Adult: 22" (24x4)

I made this on Ella's bookcase while she happily played. And because I said this was easy I did not iron the fabric and I made sloppy, crooked cuts. It doesn't matter.

Fold the fabric in half hot dog style. (Like that elementary school reference?)

Then cut the corners off making a soft curve. Make sure the folded corner is the point.

Then knot it to make the headband.

You can wear it with a thick band or with it folded in.

I prefer it folded in - at least on Ella.

See told you. Easy, fast and cheap (perhaps free).

And best of all - super cute!

Check out my bow tutorial and fabric flower tutorial to make other types of headbands like these.

Ella's favorite knit baby hats

2013-02-19T11:00:00.002-08:00

You can get the pattern for the chevron hat here.

You can see more of this hat and her halloween costume here.

A bit too small but still cute.

Over the photo shoot but still so cute.

You can get the pattern for this hat here.

And headbands!

And this isn't even a quarter of the baby hats she owns.....

I have the cutest baby model ever! And only one meltdown.

happy valentine's day

2013-02-13T16:22:00.004-08:00

Here is a collection of the other valentine's Ella is sending.

four months

2013-02-10T16:35:00.002-08:00

Four months old and so much fun!

I just love this smiling, happy and playful little girl. Each month gets better and better. I didn't think anything would be better than the cuddly newborn stage but it s so great to watch her grow and learn new things. Oh and the smiles get better and better... almost to the point of a giggle!

She found her hands and mouth and loves to explore with them. She almost can roll over - she has done it once and it was so terrifying she screamed for 30 minutes. She may never try again. Did I mention the talking? Or in Ella's case the screaming? Not crying - just really loud, passionate talking we call screaming. And the on top of it she found her tongue and the ability to spit. We are raising a real lady here.

Here are the 4 month stats:

14 pounds 9 ounces and 25 inches.

And the adorable 4 months photo shoot.

LOVE HER!

we adopted another puppy....kind of

2013-01-20T14:13:00.001-08:00

Sorry to be misleading and lure you in with the promise of super adorable puppy pictures. There is nothing better than tiny, soft, fluffy puppies except maybe a tiny, soft and fluffy (in a chubby sort of way) baby dressed up as a puppy......

Forgiven?

Oh there's more because this is what I do when I'm off work instead of cleaning, organizing or really anything productive. I force my poor, helpless baby into costumes and outfits and take a ridiculous amount of photos. I just can't stop.

And then I introduced our new "puppy" to our real puppies.

They were not amused. I believe what Hudson is saying in this photo is, "Mom, really? Another puppy? Do you love me at all?"

They would not go near her but instead stood and glared at her. The only way I could get them close enough for a photo was by covering her in treats. Even then it took them a long time to approach.

She is learning so much from her older "siblings"

My oops parenting moment....

2013-01-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

Next time take the headband off before the nap....duh!

Three months

2013-01-07T16:37:00.000-08:00

Ella's a growing girl. We haven't had a 3 month appointment so I don't have the latest stats but I can tell you the numbers continue to grow.

Instead I have some photos to share.

So cute - in my opinion.

And here is another comparison of month 1, month 2, and month 3......

I miss my tiny newborn but I love all the smiles and gabbing Ella does now. She is so happy, cuddly and talkative. So much fun!

2013: Project Organization

2013-01-02T07:07:00.001-08:00

2012 was the year of the baby. Baby Ella to be exact. We pretty much started 2012 with the news of our pregnancy. It was an amazing year but with a new baby, a part-time job, a home and a husband to care for I definitely need to implement some new tactics to optimize my time and money. So 2013 will be my year of organization. Fortunately for me Pinterest and the blogosphere make it really easy to get started.

These are the major areas in my life that need organization:

- All things kitchen (menu planning/grocery shopping/cabinets/pantry)
- Storage (basement/closets)
- Home cleaning and maintenance
- All things baby
- Photos and memory items
- Blogging/Etsy/knitting (basically all the time I spend on the computer - definitely need to cut down on that)

Here are some ideas I found on Pinterest (love that place) that I will hopefully be referencing as I work to organize my life this year. There are so many smart and creative people out there. Glad they share their great ideas.....

Kitchen Organization

1. 2. 3.

1. Menu planning
2. Under the sink organizing
3. Fridge cleaning

Storage

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. Binder of manuals
2. Wrapping paper storage
3. Hampers in bathroom or laundry room
4. Store sheets in pillow cases

Home Cleaning and Maintenance

1. 2. 3.

1. Keeping track of home paint colors
2. Cleaning Calendar
3. Cleaning the dishwasher

Baby & Children Organization

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. Kid cabinet
2. Track medicine dosages l
3. Have children donate toys before they receive their new Christmas toys
4. Toy storage

Photo Organization & Memory Keeping

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

1. Basic photo organization
2. Organizing with "yearbook" photobooks
3. Storing photos on CDs
4. Scanning children's artwork and making photobook (the link to her blog wasn't working so I linked to pinterest)

5. Organizing photos in lightroom

Now it is time to get to work and I will report back my progress.....

goodbye 2012, hello 2013

2013-01-01T11:29:00.002-08:00

We had a wonderful evening ringing in the new year with our friends. Ella was the life of the party and even forced herself to stay up to ring in the new year. Even if it meant tears and very heavy eyes. After her new years kiss she promptly fell asleep at 12:01.

It's time to say goodbye to 2012. I really don't want it to end. It has been an amazing year. The year of Ella. We found out right after New Year 2012 we were pregnant and the rest of the year was centered around this little nugget. Such a fun year.

Introducing the nugget to Scotland

The amazing adventure of pregnancy

The amazing adventure of having a baby

Baby's first trip to CO (post coming soon)

First Christmas

And of course her first New Years. While 2012 was the best year to date I know that 2013 has really exciting things waiting for us as well. Bring it on!

Christmas Cards

2012-12-31T15:22:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas cards. I love receiving them and sending them out. I love that each card tells its own story. For our family it shows that we started out as a young married couple, added a dog, added another dog, and then added baby. That is a lot of expansion......and it is only the beginning I hope. Here is a peek at our last three Christmas cards....I never got around to scanning the others.

(my personal favorite)

We could not get Hudson in this one. All you can see is the top of his head. I have to say it is harder and harder to get a good photo. Dogs and babies complicate things.

Can't wait to see what next year's card will look like!

Our merry little Christmas

2012-12-30T21:05:00.001-08:00

Oh and of course had a ton of Christmas themed photo shoots.......

We had a wonderful time celebrating Ella's first Christmas. Ella's Uncle Ryan came home from Boston and her Uncle Connor surprised us with a last minute trip home from California.

And of course we love spending time with Aunt Katelyn, Aunt Carly and Uncle Ty too.

We spent Christmas Eve with the whole Keith clan. Ella loved spending time with her Great Grammie and Grampie and all her uncles, aunts and cousins -especially cousin Owen. Brandon fried a turkey (for the second time) and it was so yummy! Grammie knit all the ladies scarves - even Ella. We had a wonderful time celebrating the birth of the Lord together.

We then woke up Christmas morning and spent some sweet time together as a family of three. It was so nice to snuggle together as we exchanged our gifts, stockings and ornaments. Christmas day was spent with my family enjoying little Ella, eating too much food and playing board games. We love board games.

It was a very special first Christmas for Ella. Each year it will get better and better as we share with her the meaning of Christmas, the special blessings we enjoy on this day and the family traditions that make it all the more special. I can't wait to develop our own traditions too as we make many family memories.

Love my family!

Especially my little family of three.

And Ella's smile.

And in case you want more cuteness.

I did immediately remove the lights from her mouth. After one photo of course.

Our Little Reindeer

2012-12-13T16:11:00.000-08:00

Someone is ready for her first Christmas. I think she is catching on to my excitement because we did not shed one tear during this photo shoot. She even loved her antlers and didn't try to rip them off. She makes one really cute reindeer.

Of course Ella is too young to really understand the Christmas season but that is not holding me back. I know she will enjoy looking back at the pictures to see all the memories we were creating from the beginning.

The first Christmas activity was of course the Christmas tree. I love picking out the Christmas tree because I have so many wonderful memories of bundling up and going to a Christmas tree farm with my family to cut down our very own tree. It was so fun to try and find the perfect one. For my family that meant a really FAT tree. We loved and still do full, plump trees. Unfortunately the past two years we haven't cut down our own tree. The Christmas tree farms are either all closing or have pretty pathetic trees. That's okay, it is the perfect time for Bran and I to start our own family traditions. Now we go to this adorable little zoo in our town that is covered in Christmas lights. We sip hot chocolate while we pick out our tree and enjoy the bedazzled animals. I can't wait for Ella to be old enough to enjoy it.

This year we went during the day due to our schedules and still had a great time but it really is much more charming and magical at night. Here are some pics from our trip last year.

After picking out the tree I immediately need to start decorating it. I have no patience and always beg Bran to put it up right away. I always play Christmas music (or a Christmas movie), pull out every ornament and place it on my table so I can re-admire them all and then we are allowed to string the lights and hang the ornaments. Hot chocolate is always involved as well.

This year Ella wasn't feeling the whole Christmas tree decorating.

I think she just needed to see it completed in all its sparkly beauty.

Because then she was all smiles and let me do this.

I took a billion of these because she was so darn cute and she just kept smiling (or at least she never cried). You know what I just realized....I never got a picture of just our tree. What can I say, who wants a picture of a tree when there is a really cute baby to take pictures of? I guess I'll need to work on that.

Up next on our Christmas checklist:

- Making Christmas cookies (Ella will be an observer this year)
- Making Christmas ornaments
- Christmas present wrapping (This is for me, not Ella I guess)
- Christmas cards
- Visiting Santa
- And many more photo shoots

All while listening to Christmas music and drinking hot chocolate of course!

Surviving a newborn

2012-12-10T05:16:00.000-08:00

At a little over 2 months I think it is safe to say that we have made it through the newborn stage. Our little Ella is growing fast and developing a personality all her own. I love discovering bits and pieces of who this little person is. Oh and the smiles. Those big, gummy smiles and bright eyes. Best. Thing. Ever.

Of course those smiles don't usually come until you have made it through those first few weeks and to help you get to those smiles I am sharing the essentials that helped me.

Gel Soothies - For those that breastfeed the ultimate and most used tool in our mommy bag is the boobie. You have to take care of that precious piece of equipment and these soothies helped me with those toe curling, leg kicking, can't do it anymore first weeks. Instant and long lasting relief. Ahhhhh. So glad those days are over.

Nursing Pads - Another great tool for the boobie or maybe more for your wardrobe and dignity is the nursing pad. I felt like a leaky faucet those first few weeks but instead of sticking a bucket in my bra, I used these pads. They are super soft and organic so they didn't irritate my sore nips and they are very absorbent so they can handle a lot of leakage. Like crying baby type of waterworks....did you know that a crying baby opens up the boobie floodgates? Any crying baby. Well they do. It's awkward.

Aveeno Face Wipes - With the demands of a newborn to care for 24/7 there is little time to take care of you. Not only does time run short but energy. So when I finally was able to curl up in my warm bed the last thing I wanted to do was waste precious time washing off the days grime. At the same time a little cleanliness also saved my sanity and made me feel human. These started in my bathroom but soon came to rest on my nightstand. I was that lazy.

Straws - You have to consume a lot of water those first few weeks. These made it more fun which meant I drank more plus sipping out of a cup while breastfeeding is hard without a straw.

Wash Cloths/Burp Cloths - Babies are messy. I used these homemade burp cloths for EVERYTHING! Breastfeeding, burping, baths, wiping gunk from the face, etc. These were extremely easy to make and so much cuter than the typical white burp cloths. It's a good thing I made so many because I use these all the time.

Swaddle Sleep Sacks - The hospital gave us ours and it really helped Ella sleep and was easy for this brain-dead momma to operate. The swaddle attachment comes on or off so when they aren't sleeping their hands can be free and you don't have to deal with a lot of extra fabric. And bonus it grows with the baby. Since newborns grow out of things so, so fast this can last for months and months without the swaddle and just as a sleep sack. Ella loves it too.

Smartphone - This may seem stupid but my phone saved me in so many ways. It's a one hand wonder which is huge because never again will I have the use of both my hands at one time - even now I type this with one hand. The phone provides a way to stay connected and share with family and friends, it can call these same family and friends for help. It is a white noise or lullaby machine. A schedule keeper/tracker. But what saved me the most during those middle of the night breastfeeding marathons were all the games (and Pinterest app) that kept me from falling asleep while feeding Ella.

Humidifier - Ella seemed to always be congested those first few weeks and we noticed a huge difference in her sleep when the humidifier was on. She breathed a slept so much better.

White Onesies - Stock up on these! We went through several a day. Between diaper blowouts and milk dribble we were always putting a new one on and she wore these under every outfit. My favorites are the Carter's Precious Firsts. They are soft, thick, hold their shape and wash-up nicely. Gap also has really nice onesies if you want to spend a little more or you can find them on sale.

Bouncy Seat - Or whatever you call it. I would not be able eat, shower or put clothes on without this. Enough said. The Baby Bjorn happens to be what we use and Ella and I love it. It is light, collapsible and easily moves from kitchen to bathroom to bedroom! And Ella loves to play and sleep in it or just watch mommy get ready.

DIY: Chalkboards

2012-12-07T04:39:00.001-08:00

I've officially jumped on the chalkboard bandwagon. I couldn't resist it any longer. Everything I was coming across on Pinterest was just so cute and rather useful.

I have a small blank wall in my kitchen that we've never committed to. It is in a constant state of change.

I think the chalkboard craze has almost completed this transformation. Once we are a one dog family I would like to add lower cabinets for storage with built-in garbage. Right now the dogs need that floor space. Back to the chalkboard......

This was an easy and fast update. I painted the wall with chalkboard paint then used trim to frame it. We use this all the time for grocery lists, reminders, notes to each other etc. I love it!!!

I had quite a bit of chalkboard paint leftover and couldn't just stop at one project so I made some mini chalkboards as well.

Someone didn't like them as much as I did. I think she feels they are objects of torture - she is not a fan of photo props. And perhaps they remind her of our first, failed photo shoot using them. Not that the above was a success.

Don't they say in showbiz to never work with dogs and babies....?

Back to the project. To make these mini chalkboards I used old frames I had laying around. Just remove the backing and glass. I then cut 1/4" hardwood to fit my frame. It is very similar to plywood but has a smoother finish which is perfect for chalkboard paint. Once the paint is completely dry (follow the instructions on the can) then glue or staple the board to your frame. It is that easy.

Here are some other ideas on ways to use up the leftover paint:

Chalkboard Bottles

Chalkboard Projects

Two months

2012-12-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

Oh my two months.

12 pounds 2 ounces

24 inches

75th percentile weight

90th percentile height

She's definitely getting enough to eat!

newborn one month two months

Here are some other shots from her two month photos.

One month....

2012-11-16T08:45:00.000-08:00

Ella hit her one month mark....actually she just raced right past it. I can't believe I've been a mommy to this precious little girl for one whole month already! She changes every day and I think I do too. She is teaching me so much about what it means to be a mother (among a million other things).

Since she is changing so fast I, like all moms, want to document all the stages. Usually with things like this I would go to Pinterest and other blogs to steal their creative ideas but I've been tired and a bit lackluster in the creative department so I'm doing it my own simple way. Naked baby. White sheet. The same photo shoot I did at the hospital. I wish it were more fun and interesting but it will definitely showcase her changing looks.

Newborn One month

We also had some professional photos taken when she was 2 weeks. Ella was extremely difficult but our photographer Chrystl did and amazing job capturing Ella. You cant even tell how difficult Ella was for these photos. Thanks Chrystl!

Check out the photo shoot:
http://chrystlrobergephotography.com/blog/2012/10/31/sweet-ellas-newborn-photoswheatonbaby-photography/

Disclaimer: It took me so long to write this post that Ella is almost 2 months.....oops.

Ella's First Owl-ween!

2012-11-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

That was lame....sorry. If you haven't guessed it already Ella dressed up as an owl for her first halloween.

I made the owl hat months ago and recently realized it would make the perfect costume. Unfortunately, since I didn't have Halloween in mind it was a bit big for her little head but that didn't stop me. It was still so cute. To complete this super easy costume I glued felt feathers onto a onesie and put it over little leggings. Perfect for a tiny baby that still needs to be comfortable and warm.

The owl hat is super easy to knit. I will be putting the pattern to paper and adding it to my etsy page soon. If you can't knit there are plenty of owl hats on etsy or even in most children's stores these days. Owls are so popular right now.

At a month old Ella is clearly too young for trick or treating but we did enjoy a trip to my office to show off her costume. It was also fun to greet all the little kiddos at our door as we passed out candy. They seemed to love Ella and her costume - especially the little boys. They would ooh and ahh over her and even ask questions about her. It melted my heart and Ella loved all the excitement. It wiped her out though - I got 7 hours of sleep last night!!

And can I admit that I am pretty sure I know what Ella will be next year?! I can't wait. She will be a year and so much fun!! And if she really wears the costume I have in mind she will be unbelievably adorable. Cannot wait!

Hope you are enjoying the leftover candy and sugar highs!

Happy Halloween!

2012-10-31T15:57:00.003-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

FROM OUR LITTLE PUMPKIN!

OUR TORTURED LITTLE PUMPKIN......

Ella's Nursery

2012-10-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

Ella's simple and sweet nursery.

I did not have a large budget for this transformation so I kept it simple and flexible. I wanted the pieces to easily work for future nurseries regardless of the gender.

I started with a grey and white base (grey walls/white furniture) and added just bits of aqua and pinkish/coral. I used my roman shade tutorial to whip up some coral window coverings that can easily be re-done in the future. I used the leftover fabric to make these easy pillows.

Ella's DIY Newborn Photo Shoot

2012-10-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

I brought 10 hats and 10 headbands to the hospital because I just couldn't choose one. It was a miracle that I minimized my collection to 10 of each. Once we settled into the hospital room I was eager to try all the hats and headbands on her. I think she wore a new hat or headband for every guest that visited. Unfortunately our hospital stay was extra long due to the c-section and Ella's jaundice. By day 5 I was going absolutely stir crazy so the only logical thing to do was create our own newborn photo shoot. We had the props, the baby, a camera, huge bright windows and a lot of time to kill. It seemed perfect. We sent Bran home to play with the pups while my mom, sister and I had fun dressing Ella up and taking absolutely adorable photos. And the best part - they were free! They may not be perfect and totally professional but I still love them.

To start we gathered all the white sheets and blankets we could find in the room, which wasn't hard since it is a hospital. Then we made a nice comfy bed with pillows and draped the sheets over them for a nice white, seamless backdrop. The only problem was the baby didn't agree with the comfort part.

I didn't edit these photos but I adore them. Not that I like seeing her cry but this is Ella doing what newborns do - fortunately for us she doesn't do this too often.

In order to combat the crying I had my sister climb in the hospital bed, covered her in sheets and had her hold Ella while I took the photos. My mom acted as prop master, baby positioner and soother.

She may hate me for posting these photos. Sorry Kate!

But it worked. Here are the results - an over abundance of Ella photos.

The pictures aren't perfect but they are perfect to me. I used Lightroom to edit these photos but I don't really know how to use it very well. Regardless of whether you edit your photos or not they will still be a precious memory of your little one. And it is so easy to do!

Ella's Super Basic Birth Story (no icky details)

2012-10-14T13:09:00.002-07:00

Ella was due September 27th but Thursday came and went without any indication of her arrival. I wasn't anticipating an on-time arrival or even a September birthday so I was pleasantly surprised when contractions started Friday and continued into Saturday. They weren't regular or strong at first so I did a lot of walking and activity to encourage them on. By 6:00 Saturday evening they were definitely picking up in pace and coming closer together. By midnight they were 3 minutes a part and lasting 1 minute so we grabbed our bags, kissed the dogs goodbye and drove to the hospital a little in shock that we would be meeting our little girl soon.

Things seemed to move remarkably fast for me from there but I am sure Brandon would tell you otherwise. My labor pains were primarily in my back since she was in the posterior position meaning she was facing up, which is not good for delivery. I opted for the epidural and slept my way to 10 cm. By 10:00 am I was pushing. However after a lot of pushing and trying to turn Ella around she moved herself into the transverse position and pretty much wedged herself in there. For the health and safety of both Ella and myself we were told a c-section was necessary.

Before I knew it I was in surgery. My doctor came in with his laptop, placed it on a side cabinet next to me and proceeded to pick a playlist and check his fantasy team. He left his fantasy team up the whole time for us all to watch. He is a big football fan - most of our appointment conversations ended with the Bears. It didn't seem to affect his performance fortunately; it was a quick and successful surgery with no complications. C-sections are strange though. They say you will feel a little pressure but I think you can feel a lot more. It isn't painful but the sensations are very strange - I could feel a lot of movement. Bran says the noises were very disturbing for him. I think I was too wrapped up in the sensations to hear much. It was all worth it though and at 1:42 pm we met Ella Rose.

This is my favorite photo. Daddy and daughter meeting for the first time. So in love with these two.

My first glimpse of Ella.

Our healthy little girl getting weighed, measured and cleaned up. She was 8 lbs. and 20 in.

While the surgeons closed and cleaned me up, Brandon got to take Ella to the recovery room where he was able to spend some time meeting and bonding with her. I am so glad he got that time with her. I feel like the dads can get so overlooked since they don't have the same food source that the moms do. The nurses made Brandon rip open his scrubs and do skin to skin cuddling - which is something the moms usually do right after birth. They then left him with Ella and he had some alone time with her. It was so nice to be wheeled into the room and have the two of them waiting for me. As much as I did not want to have a c-section it really went very well and was still a very special birth for us.

And how could it not be - our little girl is healthy and in our arms. That is all that matters.

Next up on the blog: an over abundance of Ella photos. No surprise there.

Ella Rose

2012-10-10T09:33:00.001-07:00

We are so happy to share that our precious little Ella Rose is finally in our arms. She is the most perfect little gift from the Lord and we are so blessed that he chose us to be her parents.

Ella was born September 30th weighing 8 lbs. and measuring 20 inches.

I'll be back to share more but right now I have a hungry little hippo who needs me.

Baby K: week 40

2012-09-28T20:26:00.002-07:00

"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.