Baby Bump Progression

We've seen - and passed - the 40 week mark 'round here. And we're so, so thankful for a healthy and safe and uneventful pregnancy! Lately I've had my share of grouchy "will my baby EVER come?!?" moments, but over the last few days I've absolutely felt a heaping dose of God's goodness to me in the form of trust, patience, and an overall joyous attitude.

Praise Him for that. I know it doesn't come from inside me.

As I was working through our Europe pics I came across a number of belly bump shots, some of which I've already shared. But to celebrate a full 40 weeks, I thought it'd be fun to see them all together.

Clearly, I put zero thought into taking these in any regular intervals or in any consistent location.

10 weeks. My first belly shot. I could tell there was a little more... something... 'round the middle. But clearly no one else could. I was proudly wearing brand new maternity pants here. I made that switch early on! I couldn't make my normal pants button after about 7-8 weeks.

14 weeks. A leeettle more to show off here. We went to visit Josh's parents in Phoenix, and he snapped this shot while we were out there. I was in all maternity, all the time by this point.

And yet, looking back, I'm oh so small!

17 weeks. Next to the harbor in Oslo, Norway.

18 weeks. Just a week later. It was somewhere between these two weeks that a stranger first asked me about my pregnancy. Meaning that it was obvious to more folks than just me.

25 weeks. Me in my messy bathroom with my iPhone. Really out there by this point.

29 weeks. In a hotel in the Chicago area. Bowling ball time. This black shirt from Gap Maternity remains my single favorite item of clothing.

34 weeks. In a hotel in Tennessee. My last business trip. And clearly, my rain coat wasn't working so well.

35 weeks. On my own doorstep. Looking and feeling absolutely enormous. Hardly anything fit anymore (even my maternity clothes) by this point.

This was the effort it took to look at my own feet.

Yesterday. 40 Weeks. What you can't tell is:
A) I have a sty in one eye. Yuck.
B) My sweater is technically too short, and I have to bridge the gap with a tank top. See comments on the 35 week shots. But at this point, I'm not purchasing any more maternity clothes.
C) I'm wearing black work out pants. I rarely wear anything else.
D) I'm not wearing make-up AND having a bad hair day. Thus the reason I blurred out my own face :).

Favorite Moments: Scandinavia, Part 3

Our second Europe post happened a month after our trip. This is our third (and last) post about our European adventures this past summer. FIVE months after our trip. I was 18 weeks pregnant then. Now I'm fully 40. Oh my, how little my belly was back then!

In case you're curious... here's post #1 and #2.

And here's Josh's recap:

These two places were our favorite stops on the trip. Copenhagen was our favorite city, and the “Norway-in-a-Nutshell” tour was the most beautiful experience of the trip. As they are so different, it’s hard to determine which one we liked better, so we’re not going to try. We’re just going to put them both here at the end.

Norway in a Nutshell

When we were planning our trip, we thought that it would be a crime to travel all the way to Norway and miss the fjords. We ended up adding a couple days onto the front of our trip before the cruise so that we could make it up to the west coast of Norway. We chose to do the fast-paced and popular “Norway-in-a-Nutshell” trip to make the most of our time. This train-boat-bus-train journey from Oslo to Bergen (both cities were featured earlier in this series if you can remember back that far) goes through the countryside and gives the traveler a glimpse at Norway’s diverse landscape. I’ve heard that this route can get packed with tourists in the late summer, but it honestly wasn’t too bad when we went in early June.

Leaving Oslo by train, we first went through a beautiful lakes district and climbed steadily in elevation as we traversed the mountain range that runs through the center of the country.

The next leg had us descending into the Flåm valley via the Flåmsbana train, one of the steepest train routes in the world. The valley itself was beautiful with numerous waterfalls trickling down the cliffs on their way to the Sognefjord. On the way down, we stopped to enjoy the Kjosfossen, a robust waterfall of over 700 feet that falls right next to the track.

After we reached the town of Flåm at the base of the train, we caught a boat that took us through two spectacular fingers of the fjord. At this point, there’s really not a lot that I can say that would add to the pictures, but suffice it to say that it was a highlight. The boat delivered us to Gudvangen, our next terminus.

From this point on, it was a somewhat more mundane bus and train ride, but maybe we were just too tired to take it all in. After a little sleep on the train, we were ready for the rest of the night in Bergen before hopping the night train back to Oslo.

We left from Oslo first thing Friday morning, and then the train dropped us off at 6:00 AM on Saturday. It’s crazy what you can see and do in a 24 hour period. While this trip cost us almost as much as the 7-day cruise we took later that week (in case you forgot, Norway is crazy expensive), it was completely worth it.



Copenhagen

We loved Copenhagen.

Unlike some of the cities that we’ve visited over the past few years, we didn’t come to Copenhagen with much of an itinerary. Let’s face it, there’s no Hagia Sophia, no Notre Dame, no Pantheon, no Hermitage, and no Tower of London in Copenhagen. As we effectively had less than 12 hours in Copenhagen (one of the major drawbacks of the cruise), it’s probably a good thing that there weren’t tons of sights to see. We were able to spend our time just walking around and experiencing the city.

From the pedestrian mall of the Strøget to the canals of Christianshavn, Copenhagen was one of the best walking cities that we’ve ever visited. Over the course of the day, we did see some “sights” such as Rosenborg Castle, Christiania, and the view from the top of the Church of our Savior, but we spent the vast majority of our time walking fairly aimlessly.

I must make a specific mention of the Nyhavn district. This “New Harbor” was actually built about 100 years before the United States came into existence and consists of a main canal surrounded by rows of multi-colored buildings. This bustling pedestrian area is lined with cafes and the wide sidewalks and numerous bridges allowed for easy navigation. It was a great place to relax and spend the last couple hours of our long day in Copenhagen.

We really didn’t have enough time here to take everything in, but we loved the time that we had. I hope that we can make it back someday.

Baby Shoes

Yes, I'm still sewing. No, our baby hasn't yet arrived.

There's a significant connection there, not surprisingly.

My latest focus: baby shoes. From this pattern. Oh, Internet, how I love your free sewing ideas.

Here's the first pair I tried, for our Nugget. The trial run. I made them to go with a shirt I made for her... but since the shirt displays the first initial of her first name, I'll refrain from posting it here.

And, once I realized I could successfully construct baby shoes, I tried making some for friends, as a gift. I sent them along with a sushi-roll changing pad to match, for a certain baby boy named Drew.

Since I haven't actually tried them out before on a real, live, child, I cannot speak to their durability, fit, or any other practical piece of this equation. I'm just hoping for the best. Hopefully baby Drew likes them okay.

After sending those off, I figured that Nugget needed another pair. I love the orange and yellow, but let's face it, her wardrobe tends to include quite a few pinks. So of course she needs another pair to match. Right? Because nothing says "practical" like shoes for a child that can't walk, even if they do match the rest of her wardrobe.

For this pair I thought it'd be fun to try out some applique. It turned out to be a fun addition to the project. However, as I turned to Josh to show off my latest completed shoe yesterday over football, he asked me, "Now how many shoes have you made today?"

"Um, just the one."
"Wow, those take a long time."
"Yes, yes they do."

But really, I don't mind.

Halloween with the Browns

So our trick-or-treaters came Thursday night. I know -- weird.

I wrangled Riley into his pumpkin get-up, a hand-me-down from neighbors a few years back. He totally rocks the look.

And then I put on my own costume. We matched!

Oh, pregnant face, I'm looking forward to seeing the end of you.

Riley was a cul-de-sac hit. Every time the doorbell rang, he bounded up and wagged his way to the door to greet the kids. Wag, wag, wag. Pet me, pet me, pet me.

I had originally planned to wear my pumpkin shirt on Friday night, too, to Josh's work Halloween party (at his boss' boss' boss' house). Simple, classy-ish, normal. I didn't really want to go overboard, especially since I haven't met a bunch of these people before.

No one needs to see a very pregnant woman going overboard on Halloween. I had no interest in belly painting.

But Josh took one look at my costume, and informed me that it was lame. I told him I disagreed.

By the time trick-or-treaters stopped coming by, it was 8pm. Josh told me the pumpkin shirt was still lame. I informed him that if he could come up with a better idea - the day before the party - I'd wear it.

So we headed to Goodwill. 30 minutes before it closed Thursday night.

And we found this little beauty. An Ohio State trucker hat.

Josh was already going as a trucker, and thought that a pregnant red neck would be the perfect companion. As a big Michigan fan, I fell in love with the idea of wearing a junky OSU hat as a part of my redneck costume.

We purchased a flannel shirt to go along with the hat, and then on our way home decided that I also needed fish net stockings (to be worn under cut-off jeans), and headed to a Halloween store (5 minutes before it closed) for that particular item.

And here's the final result:

Sadly...
-this was one of those "oh shoot we forgot to take a picture" moment at the end of the night, and all I had was my phone
-we'd blacked out some of our front teeth with paint, but it had worn off by this point
-you can't tell that I drew a Confederate Flag tattoo on one of Josh's arms, and a barbed wire tattoo on the other
-we're missing our props: a oversized can of cheap beer and a pack of cigarettes each

But you get the gist.

And we were a hit. And came in at #2 in the costume contest.

And now hopefully I'll have another chance to make a positive impression on Josh's coworkers.

Sewing.

I've really been enjoying sewing lately. These days it's a great way to kill time before lovingly prepare for our baby's arrival. I have also discovered that the Internet provides a wealth of easy ideas, patterns and tutorials. Go figure!

Not surprisingly, I really love making baby stuff. Cute little items for Nugget? Absolutely. But I also truly enjoy making simple things friends, too. A couple of years ago I started making burp cloths. Very fun. Since then I've enjoyed finding cute flannel and experimenting with the designs - it's more interesting that way.

Frayed edges = fun.

I've also started experimenting with applique onesies. Like this one. I actually made a little set of these - one for our baby and two for the LeCompte boys. I'm hoping we get a chance to line all three babies up together wearing these.

And it's fun to use scraps from burp cloths and other larger projects and turn them into a coordinated little set.

Last night I tried something new. My parents got me this great messenger bag for my birthday (I'm TOTALLY a sucker for messenger bags, btw) and thought it might work well for a diaper bag down the line. I agree! We have a more traditional diaper bag too, but it'd be nice to go out with the baby at times and just look like I have a large purse. Right?

Yes, those are my snowflake pajama pants you see there. And no, this picture wasn't taken first thing in the morning. PJ pants are simply more comfortable than my maternity pants these days.

Anywho, I saw this Sushi-roll changing pad tutorial online last week, and was immediately interested. And thought it might be fun to make a changing pad that coordinated with my new messenger bag. I mean, before I can start making these as gifts I need to try one out on my own family, right?

So I bought some material (on sale at Jo-Ann's), batting, and elastic.

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I was hoping for some decorative/colorful elastic, but alas Jo-Ann's only had white and black. Oh well.

I cut out the "pattern" (a 18x22 inch rectangle of two coordinating materials + batting) and ironed it.

And then, following the very easy instructions, and watching old 30 Rock episodes at the same time, I sewed it together in no time. I love projects that take an hour or less... and those that are super duper easy... and those where I really like the result.

To store in your diaper bag/purse, just fold in half and roll.

A perfect match? No. But they jive.

Next I'd like to try...

-Headbands

-This bib

-These shoes

-These letters

-Pretty much all of this stuff

I've got my work cut out for me. Who knows how much I'll continue to do one Nugget arrives, but for now I'm having a lot of fun. Anyone have any favorite crafty websites to share? Any fun projects I should try and tackle? I need then to be easy. Leave some suggestions for me!

The Nursery

It's done! And all good 'n ready for our sweet little nugget to arrive.

You remember us painting the room. And then when we Josh made the shelves. We added furniture this summer, and then I had some fun making a crib skirt and a few other things.

And now? All we need is a baby.

I'll give you a 360 degree tour, starting with the wall closest to the hallway.

Basically, I'm starting with the most boring side of the room, and spinning in a circle from there. I'm okay with boring on this wall, because there's just not much else I can do about it. Almost no wall space + two brown doors. The one on the left is the closet, and the one on the right leads to the hall.

I'm not in love with the fact that both the vent and the light switches are off center, but I'll deal with it.

Tangent: I really love this bouncy seat. It's one of the cuter, less obnoxious ones out there, I think. Hopefully Nugget likes it, too. And I'm sure it won't stay here in her room all the time, but get dragged all over the house as need be.

On this wall we did add a couple of hooks. I figure they'll be great for a hoodie, a hat, and/or a bag from time to time. And when they're not in use? They snap shut close to the wall. Bonus.

Another addition to the wall? The baby monitor camera. I originally thought that a video monitor would be overkill, but was convinced that it will come in handy. Josh's parents got it for us as a shower gift, and I'm sure we'll like being able to peek on our little one without actually going in her room.

I'm glad we had a hidden little spot behind the closet door to mount it to the wall. And that we could run the cord along the molding. Less of an eyesore - you'd hardly notice it. And it still points into the crib.

Which brings me to...

Wall #2.

In lieu of a traditional mobile we opted for paper lanterns. After lots of fighting discussion about how they should be hung and spaced, we finally came up with this arrangement. These guys cost us around $3 each from here and we hung them with simple white ribbon. They're attached to the ceiling with little silver screw-in hooks I picked up at Meijer.

Also, we were a little worried about what they'd do with the ceiling fan on, but they just shake slightly back and forth. Hey, it might even make them more interesting to a certain someone laying in her crib.

And thus far, we really like this crib. Wal-Mart, baby! I'm an especially big fan of the drawer.

Moving along to the corner. We've got our IKEA Poang Chair - with a freshly washed upholstery cover. For a long time it sported an brownish/orange hue on the head rest that I couldn't get out. Who knew that you could open the velcro, pull out the pads, and wash the fabric in the washer/dryer? We've had this chair for 5 years and that concept just occurred to me recently. So we're squeaky clean and ready to go.

Next to the chair is a basket for some books. Right now they're mostly hers. I may sneak in a few of my own, too.

Aren't the little pennant flags cute? My friend Lora (the same one that made the quilt) helped throw me a shower and she sewed these for decorations. And, of course, used some of the exact fabric I'd picked out. And then she let me take them home from the shower. I think they're adorable!

Here they are at the shower:

And now? Hanging proudly in our baby's room. Love them.

Next we've got a basic storage ottoman. Josh bought this for me for Christmas a couple of years back because he knew I wanted one for our Bloomington, Indiana apartment. When we moved into this house we didn't have a good spot for it, and it got relegated to storage in the basement. But it is now getting a new life in Nugget's room.

Not only does it work nicely as a second seat (you know, if both parents to hang out with her in her room) but also doubles nicely as a toy box. And it fits under the window.

Continuing on this wall, we've got our shelves.

(Picture taken right after we finished that project, pre-window-covering, etc.)

And then, the weird corner with two more doors! Because every nursery needs four doors.

The door on the left leads to another closet - a weird shaped one since it's over the stairs. We keep our important files and such in there. The door on the right leads right into our bedroom.

Here's the view from our room into hers:

Finishing up the tour is the dresser/changing area.

We decided not to spring for a changing table in here, but instead to just throw a pad on top of the dresser. Because really, where would we have put a changing table? And the tin basket on the right holds diaper changing paraphernalia.

Above the dresser is a frame collage.

You'll notice an empty shadow box in there. We plan to fill this with Nugget's picture and hospital bracelet once she arrives. Otherwise we've got a shot of Riley eating snow, one of us on our wedding day, a print we bought on Etsy, some numbers I cut out with a die cut machine, and a Bible verse.

That wraps us up! We're back to the boring wall now, so the 360 degree tour has been completed. In general, we're really pleased with the room and can't wait to bring her home to it. It's been such fun to put it together.

And because no good home improvement post is complete without this part....

Before:

And after: