Progress

I woke up early this morning having contractions. When Jeff's alarm clock went off at 7am we started timing them. 8 minutes apart. We started to wonder: should Jeff go to school today? Our "rule" is I text Jeff to come home from school when they are 5 minutes apart for 15 minutes. (Dr wants us to call him when I've been having them 5 minutes apart for 90 minutes). We are both thinking 8 minutes is really close to 5 minutes maybe he should just stay home... but Jeff's lectures this morning will not be videotaped... but he can always get notes from his buddies... but what if the contractions go away and he stayed home for nothing?... and every 8 minutes my abdomen feels like a vacuum is trying to suck up my entire abdomen from the inside- not a good time to be making a decision. We finally decided to stick by our rule. That's why we set it, so we wouldn't have to make a decision in the moment, right? So Jeff went to school. And because blogging isn't something you do while giving birth, you already know what happened. The contractions slowed down, and then stopped. Part of me was disappointed, I'm so excited for this baby to be here; but the logical side of my brain was relieved, this really is not the ideal time for the baby to come because Jeff is studying hard for his upcoming tests next Monday and Wednesday. If little baby can just stay inside until next Thursday I will have a more attentive husband during labor, and the transition will be easier. So I'm hoping for Thursday, but secretly wishing those contractions start back up again.

In the meantime I'm trying to stay busy. I ordered several books from Amazon that arrived in the mail yesterday. I'm devouring the books rather quickly, they won't last long. Hopefully another package from Amazon comes soon (Mocking Jay- book 3 of the Hunger Games- should be in this package!). Besides reading, I'm doing some sewing (of course! You are probably thinking that this blog is getting a little too close to becoming a craft blog). My latest round of projects started when I bought a pack of standard sized pink and white bassinet sheets. I opened the package up and washed them so they would be ready for the baby. Unfortunately I realized too late that my bassinet mattress in not standard sized. So I bought some cute pink fabric and sewed up my own custom-sized bassinet sheets.

(Ignore the stuffed animals, this is the only picture I have of the sheets). I think they turned out GREAT! they fit so tight and snug! and I love the daisies so much more than plain boring white and pink sheets. To figure out the pattern I used the basic design of the store-bought bassinet sheets and referenced a tutorial from MADE for guidance on the basic construction. After I finished though, I still had extra fabric. So I kept cutting and sewing and created this:

This is a skirt with built-in bloomers underneath. I used the book "Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby: 24 Easy Projects for Newborns to Toddlers" as a reference for constructing the bloomers. But the smallest size patterns she offers is for a 6 month old, and I wanted something baby can wear her first week so I created my own pattern based off the book's basic shape and a newborn sized diaper. We will see if this actually fits! I may be re-adjusting the elastic when the baby is born. As for the skirt, I just cut up a bunch of strips of fabric and made the pattern up as I went along.

With the extra daisy fabric used up, there was still the problem of the pink and white bassinet sheets. I already washed them so they couldn't be returned. And they were made from a really nice quality fabric...so I made these:If you remember from my nursery decorating post, I was already planning on making some Shabby Chic pillows for the nursery and the fabric was perfect! I had a LOT of fun making these ones. For the pink rosette pillow I just looked at some pillows online and then just started sewing, so no tutorial to reference sorry. But I did use a real pattern for the other pillow- I bought the pattern from V and Co. I read her blog regularly and I really like supporting my favorite bloggers.

It's exactly what I wanted! I love the soft, cozy, mushy look of it- so shabby chic!

My pillow would fit right in with this bedding (from Rachel Ashwell's shabby chic gallery) wouldn't it?

Waiting...

The time has come

The time is now

Baby K. Hamaker, will you please COME NOW!

I hit 38 weeks yesterday, that's full term! 8 of you voted that baby would come this week, and I hope you are right. I am ready for her to come. A crazy nervous energy hits me all the time now that makes me want to prepare for the baby in every way possible (I'm guessing this is what people refer to as "nesting"). Problem is, everything is ready. The hospital bag has been packed for 2 months since we returned home from the hospital the first time. Her clothes are washed and hung up in closet or folded and put away in her drawers. Her bassinet is ready, filled with everything I will want in the bedroom at 3 in the morning: diapers, wipes, receiving blankets, burp cloths, and more. Her car seat is ready and installed in the car. I've figured out how to use my Moby. I've read all my books on labor and delivery and baby care. What else is there to do? What are you waiting for baby?

I don't care.

You can go by bike.

You can go on a Zike-Bike if you like.

If you like you go in an old blue shoe.

Just go, go, GO!

Please do, do, DO!

Baby K. Hamaker,

I don't care how.

Baby K. Hamaker,

will you please COME NOW!

If you wish you may go by lion's tail

Or stamp yourself and go by mail.

Baby K. Hamaker!

Don't you know

the time has come

to go, GO, GO!

(adapted from Dr. Seuss' Martin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now )

No baby yet

For everyone who voted that the baby would come this last weekend you were wrong! No baby yet. phew! You may change your vote if you would like.

Being off bed rest wasn't quite what I was expecting. I didn't know how amazing that Ventolin medicine was. Without the medicine I have irregular contractions all the time and they are very unpleasant, and some regular contractions (20 minutes apart- nothing to get excited about) and they are even more unpleasant. And moving around, even just a little bit, takes all my energy. I get exhausted so easily. I think the reason my doctor took me off bed rest was because he knew that taking me off Ventolin would keep me in bed so bed rest restrictions were unnecessary.

I was so excited to go shopping when the bed rest restriction was removed. I went to Michaels thinking it would be fun just to walk around and buy crafty stuff. I was so wrong. I was almost dieing by the time I got back to the car. Contractions had started, my feet hurt so bad, and my back! Oh my poor back was not used to supporting my big belly. I went straight home and laid down on the couch for the rest of the day. All those shopping plans and plans for a hair cut all got tossed out the window. I am back to my 'bed rest activities' like crocheting and stitching.

Speaking of bed rest activities, here's a little birdie that I made for a friend who just had a baby. (The pattern is from the book Little Birds: 26 Handmade Projects to Sew, Stitch, Quilt, and Love. The designer of the project has a blog called Cupcakes for Clara that I adore). I like how it turned out, but if I make another one I think I will make the eyes and nose smaller.

If' you haven't already, please vote for when you think the baby is coming! (I moved it to the top to encourage people to vote. Just click the circle next to the date you would like to choose and press "Vote")

FREE!!

I went to the doctor's office yesterday for my weekly appointment, and I was told the best news in the world. I am OFF BED REST!!!! and I am off my medicine that stops the contractions. This isn't what I was told 2 weeks ago, but I'm not arguing. Goodbye couch! I will not miss you.

So now the baby is free to come when she would like. This means it's time for a poll. Please vote for when you think the baby is coming.

Some info to help your decision:

• I am 36 weeks along
• I will be 37 weeks on Sunday (Aug. 15)
• 38 weeks is considered full term
• The baby's due date is Sept. 5
• Jeff has tests August 28-Sept. 1 (worst time for the baby to come)
• Jeff has a break off school from Sept. 2-7 (ideal time for the baby to come)

I'm off to go enjoy my freedom. Shopping, cooking, sewing, and I can get my hair cut! Maybe I'll go get a pedicure too! First up I am going to wash dishes!!  (I am seriously so excited to be able to do this).

Vision for the Nursery

I have received several questions about how I am going to decorate the nursery. As you saw last week, Jeff and Janie painted a wall in the room a pale pink. That may be as decorated it gets for the next 2 months. (Being stuck in bed sucks!) It's okay though, because the baby will be sharing our room for her first 6 months (I have been asked how I made this decision- it's based on SIDS risk and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations).  I will just have to put the nursery together after she is born. Yes, I would prefer to have the nursery all ready when the baby comes home from the hospital, but I have to be flexible here.

My design for the nursery is completely inspired from Rachel Ashwell and her "Shabby Chic" aesthetic. I love that it's so feminine, soft, and simple- and I love the ruffles! I love the antique charm and that it's sophisticated in a way that Pottery Barn Kids is not.

Rachel Ashwell has stores in London, New York, and LA- which I am sure are a little out of my price range- but lucky for me she also has a line at Target. The Target pieces aren't quite the same as what she sells at her New York boutique, but they are still great for supplementing what I create.

We have not bought a crib yet. Don't worry, we HAVE purchased a bassinet for the baby to sleep in while she's in our room. I'm still debating between a white crib verses a dark cherry wood. Why dark cherry? Because we have a dark cherry armoire already in the bedroom. It would make it all fit together I think. If the bedding is right then I think it will still work.

These are the bumpers I purchased (above- green with pink roses. A Rachel Ashwell product). I didn't want the entire bedding set, only the bumpers, but this product is only sold as a set. So I went to Ebay and found the bumpers sold individually AND brand new. Score!

For sheets I'm buying these (also a shabby chic product from Target). What a beautiful vintage-inspired print!

This picture comes from one of Rachel Ashwell's books. I want these ruffles for the crib skirt. No stores offer anything like this, so I will be sewing them.

I'm going to sew this pillow, but with more ruffles perhaps, and place it on the glider. I'm still debating between pink and white. (These are the things I think about as I lay on the couch eating ice cream)

Lastly, on the wall I want to hang a mini quilt like this, except using fabrics in softer hues. I love the bunting!  

Writing about all this makes me want to take a trip to the fabric store right now! Ahhh to be stuck in bed.

Crochet Project

I have a new craft project to show today, and this time it doesn't involve vinyl!

I started crocheting this blanket right after we found out I was pregnant but I didn't make much progress on it until my days of laying in bed began. I got the pattern from the blog Posie Gets Cozy. If you click on the link you can see that there is supposed to be a ribbon that runs through the holes below the scallops. But buying ribbon requires leaving my bed, so no ribbon for now. I do plan to add the ribbon later, but for now I think it looks great without it. (If anyone is curious, I used Cotton Tots yarn in "county red")

I am so excited for how this turned out! I can't wait to use it on the new baby!

35 Weeks

Angela and I had grand plans for the preparations for our baby.  However, with school and work, a lot of them got shoved into the month of July when I would be off school and Angela would be done with work.  Then July came around and Angela was put on bed rest.  Needless to say we had to pare down our grand plans to necessities.  We did a lot of closet rearranging and throwing away junk we don't use or need anymore... several times I tried to use the plea "one man's trash is another man's treasure" to save some of what Angela felt was definitely junk.  But Angela countered that that adage only applies for one year.  If you haven't used it in a year, it gets tossed!  So I had to part with my prized blue towels, which had been used throughout my college career and Chile.  Angela said that the ragged edges and bleach stains were not character, but were just ugly.  Sadly my mom has also commented that she was surprised that I still had those towels. 

We really wanted to make our study into a nice baby's bedroom.  First we bought I nice white tall book shelf.  Then we replaced our huge Ikea table/desk for a smaller prettier (Angela's word not mine) desk.

But we still had some major projects left, so I enlisted some back-up to help me before I had to go back to school. Super Mom to the rescue! My mom came down and spent the whole day slaving away with me to paint the Baby's room.  I know if she wasn't there I wouldn't have been able to keep Angela from helping.

We finished, and even I think it looks great... and it's pink!  My mom said that the color made her want to eat it like cotton candy.

We had an old book shelf in the study that one of Angela's roommates had gotten from the DI, and then because it was ugly and a bit beat up she was just going throw it away.  We were... well are poor so we took it and have loved it since.  However, it was in bad need of repair and in the words of Glenda the Good from Wicked, completely Hideodus!

So I glued and nailed the parts that were broken.  Sanded it.  Drilled new holes for the shelves.  And put a whole in the back so we can put a speaker set in the top shelf.  Then with the help of my mom we painted it.

I think it looks like new! It matches the new pillows Angela made.

Finally we got a bassinet for the baby.  It has wheels and roles really easily.  So for the first little bit, we plan on keeping it in our bedroom.

It double's as a changing table too, and has all these great pockets to keep diaper changing materials.

I think the baby's room now looks a lot more like a baby's room and less like a study.

Some of the native animals in Houston pitched-in to tidy up the Nursery for the baby.

(Disclaimer: the below paragraph was written with a specific audience in mind.  If you don't get it, don't worry about it.)

You might be scratching your head at this point and saying to yourself, I recognize the sheep, owl, very fat blue bird, and pink cupcake and know they are native to Texas, but how did the Yak get to Houston?

Yes the Baby Yak is actually not native to the Houston area, and the scientists in the Hamaker branch here have been working tirelessly to find out why it has suddenly changed its habitat some 300 miles from Layton, Utah to Texas.

We have determined that it is most likely due to global warming.  We'll keep you updated on this important issue.

Another Vinyl Project

Here's another project I did before being sentenced to bed rest. It's a dry erase family planning board. I got the idea from Somewhat Simple, and bought the vinyl letters from her etsy shop. (PLEASE ignore my hair in these pictures, yuck! Remember, even before I was stuck on bed rest I still had to take it really easy and spent most of my time in a reclined position).

This project was really fun and easy. You just use a sharpie to draw your lines on the back side of the glass and then attach the letters. Then you can write with dry erase markers on the front. My old marker board that this replaced was much smaller and stained from the markers. Glass doesn't get that black buildup.

If you were wondering, I bought the frame from Michaels (when frames were 50% off and I had a "extra 20% off your total purchase" coupon too!)

The original tutorial from Somewhat Simple does not use the back piece to the frame, but I was afraid of the glass popping out so I kept the back piece and placed wrapping paper behind the glass.

Isn't the finished product so cute? I love it! It looks so much nicer than our old marker board, and it's perfect for keeping us organized.

Flour and Sugar Containers

Today is Jeff's first day back at school. Our summer vacation wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I am grateful that Jeff was able to help me adjust to staying in bed all day long. The month of July was filled with LOTS of tv shows and movies and thats about it. When you lay in bed all day there's not much to write about on a blog, so today I will have to write about something I did before I was sentenced to bed rest:

Flour and Sugar Containers

I got the idea for these from the blog House of Smiths. My sister cut out the vinyl for me using her Cricut. I love how they turned out. They look so pretty in my pantry.
I am planning on doing some more for brown sugar and rice but I need to purchase some more containers, and that would require me to drive to the store... something I'm not allowed to do. It may be a while until my bags of brown sugar have a pretty home.