Catalina Zip Line
How is it that I’ve lived in California my whole life and never been to Catalina? My mom inspired a jaunt with my sister, baby Owen and me last weekend. Too fun! {The beginning of the video is my sister, the end is me}
My Seedy Past
Okay, maybe not “seedy”… more like “very-public-part-fascinating-part-not-so-interesting” past.
Here are some quick links to dig back to previous posts by some of my favorite categories:
What I Know Now: Overdue, Labor & Delivery
After three weeks of doctor visits where I was apparently showing no signs of getting this baby out on my own, I was induced 8 days after my due date. This is certainly not how I planned on going into labor and I was a bit nervous of the consequences and knew that this increased my chances of having a c-section. But, after a LONG few weeks of waiting, my husband and I were excited to meet this baby we’d been trying to name for months. We had one final date night {Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Hot Tub Time Machine – don’t judge, there was nothing else out…} and our family was in town so we were ready.
6 a.m. we rolled into the hospital, a little jittery from a sleepless night and anxiety. We were shown to our room and made comfortable. Not 20 minutes later we hear a woman screaming, and I almost jump out of my skin; “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH… It hurts so bad!!! AAAhhh!!” Hubs and I lock bewildered eyes and I swallowed hard. When she let out another blood-curdling scream, hubs jumped accross the room and “earmuffed” me. THAT certainly didn’t put my mind at ease, but a few minutes later we heard an adorable cry and I was comforted knowing that it would all be worth it.
At 5 p.m. with water broken and pitocin flowing, contractions on a steady minute-apart schedule, a successful and glorious epidural, the nurses checked me hoping I was a seven or eight based on the contractions. I was a four. The doctor came in and found that the baby had actually moved farther up instead of downward and his recommendation was that we have a c-section or I could have been in labor through the night without knowing what was ahead. Having mentally prepared ourselves for this scenario the night before, it was an easy decision for us. And with that, the doctor said, “You’re going to have your baby in 30 minutes!”
In the operating room, the radio was on, I was sufficiently numb and breathing deeply, and the doctors were keeping me distracted with talk of politics, iphones, and anything under the sun until my husband was able to join me. Not ten minutes later, with my husband holding my hand, did I feel a long-awaited lightness and heard a little jittery cry. I knew it was coming, but at the same time it was so unexpected: I didn’t actually make all of this up, there really WAS a baby in there. And from the table I saw his little blond head and pale skin – clean as a whistle like he had just taken a bath. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment. At 8lbs. 8oz. and an AVERAGE sized head thankyouverymuch, little Owen finally made it to us and we couldn’t be happier.
So without further ado, my final What I Know Now:
- How could one week sound longer than 9 months? Being overdue was stressful on all levels. I was puffy from head to toe, an 8lb. gain in water weight the last month and having trouble sleeping. But in retrospect, 41 weeks was definitely not too long to wait for what was coming.
- An overdue pregnant woman cannot be left alone with her thoughts. Is he too humongous to come out? Am I going to have a c-section? When I go to my appointment will they induce me on the spot? I needed to be watched like a hawk and my sister flew in to do just that. She had to change her return flight 2 times because we went so past due.
- The closer we got to the delivery day, the less I cared about a “birthing plan.” I didn’t care who was in the room; you could line up all my ex-boyfriends to witness the event for all I cared. I just wanted to have that baby.
- I think everyone just remembers the last thing they did before they went into labor and tell you that’s what you need to do to go into labor. Get on the elliptical, eat a Haagen-Dazs or spicy food…
- My husband and I are on different crying schedules. At our wedding, he cried like a baby and was stoic in the delivery room. However on the wedding day not a single tear graced my face, but in the delivery room the anesthesiologist had a second job of wiping my eyes. Is it too much to ask to have a sentimental moment with my husband?
- When I saw Owen for the first time, I thought “Why didn’t we do this seven years ago?” …Pregnancy hormones and cute wrinkly babies play crazy tricks on you…
- My subsequent thoughts: He’s big! How did he fit in there? Look at the size of his mouth! Why aren’t they showing him to me? Hurry up and clean that baby off so I can see him. Who does he look like? I was sure he’d have my head or Jason’s head on his body, but who is this kid? Aw… I can’t believe he’s here, he is BEAUTIFUL.
- Lots and lots of visitors at the hospital, which was great. I had no idea how tired I’d be though. And so much coordinating working around his feeding schedule. On the one hand, about 2 dozen people had seen me naked by this point, what’s one more, but on the other hand, I loved having a little private moment with my boy.
- With the c-section, I was at the hospital for four nights. I can’t imagine being there for a shorter period of time because he’s such a science experiment… what is making him fussy, how often does he need to eat, what does that sound mean? The nurses were amazing and my first night home I had a hysterical moment where I seriously matter-of-factly was ready to pay those nurses cash to stay the nights with me to figure this kid out.
- But he’s a good baby and I think we are doing well. He’s a very sweet boy, never fussy unless he’s peed on his blanket while I was changing his diaper and didn’t notice.
- Speaking of, he has already peed on me. Hubs and I were working together on a serious diaper overhaul, four hands to one newborn sized diaper. I was readied with a second diaper to block any oncoming waterworks which was necessary two seconds later. When I lifted my defensive diaper, I was stunned by a wiley water hose to the face {and newly washed hair}. Jason jumped a foot and nearly choked laughing when he projectile pooped right after. He’s certainly keeping us on our toes!
- I think I did okay with pregnancy brain, but now I suffer from what my sister calls, CRS {Can’t Remember Sh…} I set out to do ONE thing each day {like this post, which I wanted to write in the hospital}, and some days even that one thing doesn’t get done. My mind is cluttered with feeding times, number of wet diapers, who’s visiting when, and when the last time I ate was that I can’t even remember to return a phone call.
- My best new-mom trick… I can fall asleep in 30 seconds anytime, anywhere.
- Another last shout out to my hubby for being a rock. As you can imagine, emotions run like wine through our house these days and my husband has gotten quite the crash course on how to console a worried/upset new mom. Despite my moments of hysteria, I have never been happier.
And this is what new moms do: stay home and stare at their little cubs doing absolutely nothing.
Freebie: Scratch N Sniff Desktop Wallpaper
Click here to download FREE scratch ‘n sniff desktop wallpaper. Here’s my favorite: strawberry!
Digital Scrapbooking
You’d think that this is something that I’m totally into… but I really don’t have the patience. We take pictures all year long, and I want to document them somehow without printing out a bunch of pictures or keeping them holed up on my hard drive. My latest tradition has been to print a quick digital scrapbook of the years’ pictures after each Christmas. It has very few words, just picture after picture of the things we did during the year. It only takes until December before I forget that we went to Hawaii, went camping, saw my grandma for the first time in over 10 years, took a little anniversary trip and all the other exciting things that happen as time flies by too fast.
I love having these to flip back through.
Shabby Apple Maternity Line
Maternity clothes always look so cute when you’re not pregnant. But my experience tells me, that when it’s your turn to buy maternity clothes, it seems like there are very little options.
Enter: Shabby Apple Maternity Line {Mama Apple}.
Shabby Apple sent me this beautiful dress for my maternity pictures, and I am in love. When they asked me to choose a dress, my mom and I were on the phone for 45 minutes trying to pick one… because they were *all so cute*. I would have been happy with any of them.
This dress happens to be in their non-maternity line, but even it fit the bill. Most of their dresses are made with a soft jersey fabric that feels like you’re wearing sweats. The best part of dressing up in this Shabby Apple dress is that you are still *comfortable*… which is hard to do at 7 months pregnant. The stretch made it over my belly and gave me a little curve where I’d been feeling blocky.
Triple points to Shabby Apple for making my arms look skinny in this picture. That is no small feat.
And Shabby Apple is giving us a discount!
Woo Woo! Time to call my mom and figure out what I’m going to order next! Enter the coupon code Ohbrook10off to get 10% off your order!
I Make Things
I’m not good with words. I always come up with the right thing to say 10 minutes after the opportunity presents itself.
I don’t bake that well. Yes, I have chocolate chip cookies and chocolate crinkle cookies that I can deliver consistently. But anything more complicated than that will take me LOTS of practice to be successful. The yeast didn’t activate in the cinnamon rolls I made for my honey on Valentine’s Day {but he ate it anyway}.
But, I can make things.
I stole this adorable idea from transcraftinental {via Muddycakes Muse} and gave it to my husband on Valentine’s. We’ll all be skinnier this way if I just keep making things and forget about the baking.
{playing cards from my closet, cover designed in Photoshop and attached using my Xyron}
Green Bag Lady
I received my bag from the infamous Green Bag Lady. I first heard of her movement from Whitney at Whisker Graphics. The Green Bag Lady makes beautiful reusable totes out of scrap fabric and gives them out for free in exchange for your promise to use it instead of plastic bags. She has created quite a buzz… appearing on CNN, and her local news. She numbers each bag and documents where the bags get sent.
You can support the Green Bag Lady by sending her your unwanted fabric!
Rowan’s Room Etsy Shop
After sharing Houzz.com with you, I won a beautiful mirror from the Rowan’s Room Etsy shop via the Houzz site. Karma!
32 Weeks: What I Know Now
- 2 months to go!
- Sleep is not happening. It’s hitting number one on my list because I was thrown awake by a charlie horse in both my calf and shin at the same time this morning.
- I can only lay on my left side. If I spend more than three seconds on my right side or my back {even when propped up}, I get nauseous. I can’t even lean back in my chair. So in the middle of the night, when I’m ready for a new position, I get to move my ankles and wrists {while adjusting my three pillows}. Yes, that feels *much* better.
- When I read {or do crosswords} before I go to bed, I sit up. I rest my arms on my head. This gets my boobs OFF my stomach for 10 glorious minutes.
- At my last appointment, my doctor said I was very calm. As my belly gets bigger, I’m feeling a little less calm. The baby gets bigger, but his doorway is *not* getting bigger.
- I’m embracing these last two months. I haven’t been comfortable or slept well in weeks, but this is my last chance to be together with him like this. And somehow his roundhouses to my bladder, even in the middle of the night, are adorable.
- I’m eating smaller meals, more often. When I’m full, I’m even more uncomfortable.
- A couple of weeks ago, I was up in the night three times to the baby kicking, while my husband snored away. Is this foreshadowing?
- My whole life I could never get over feeling guilty as I pictured my husband heading off to work while I stayed at home to be with the baby. After that sleepless night, I think that guilt washed away. He’ll see the bags under my eyes and know that my work will be equally as challenging.
- My hubby will help me put on my shoes, but he’s not interested in clipping my toenails.
- If you think I’m being especially candid in these posts, you are mistaken. There is SO much going on in the pregnant body, I don’t even tell my husband some of it.
- My poor friends who have never been pregnant shudder at each new symptom. Sorry you asked?
- I feel very lucky. I’ve had no major problems in my pregnancy, and the baby is healthy.
- When I get pedicures now, I get extra long massages. Strangers are sure good to pregnant people.
- I got a massage last week, and the masseuse said she keeps “seeing butterflies with {me}.” I told her the baby had been kicking the whole time, and she thinks that was the fluttering she was seeing. I had so much more I wanted to ask her about that, but didn’t get a chance.
- Will the baby actually be born on April Fools Day? That sounds like such a fun birthday!
- Oh, and yes, that’s my hair after my new CHI. I can’t believe you all had a CHI and didn’t tell me. I feel like the kid with bad breath that nobody wants to play with.
And here’s how my husband sees it…
- Brooke and I have taken our relationship to a new level with this new addition, however there are still things best left to mystery.
- Brooke has become the loudest sleeper in the world. Period.
- My bed….my sanctuary from the world…..my place of solace has become a breeding ground for pillows.
- After our hospital tour, when the nurse said the words “we will wheel you to your car and once we hear the click of the car seat, you are on your own” I nearly ran home to my mommy.
- I have developed a spidey sense since hearing the big news. In the last several months I have saved at least 5 kids from certain death!
- I never want to hear the term “it is different when its your own” again. Poop is poop and snot is snot no matter who it comes from.
- I can never be grumpy when he is rolling around in mom’s belly.
- In the beginning of her pregnancy, I have never wished harder for someone to vomit. I guess I was waiting for that moment to make it real. She still hasn’t vomited, but… I don’t think she’s making this up anymore.
- My realization from writing this: this is really happening…..oh crap!
My past ramblings:
Lost and Found: The Umbrella Image!
Remember how we loved it and couldn’t find it?
Well, I found it. Free. Online. Here.
{Installation by Spain by Ingo Maurer, photograph by Jesús Manuel Nieto Bobadilla.}
I originally wanted it HUGE, but the biggest I could get this free image was 11″x14″ without compromising the quality. You are free to download my edited version of the image here {or by clicking on the image below}. I have framed and matted it and will be hanging it in the baby room. I LOVE this picture.
Sweater Reincarnate
From this {nubby friend of a sweater}:
To This {comfy neck scarf & sleepy morning face}:
Inspired by anything and everything that Lex makes…
And on a sidenote:
I’ve always thought it was my hair that sucked. I had an epiphany: it’s my flat iron! How have I gone my whole adult life with a $15 flat iron? When I told my friends that I had ordered a CHI flat iron to restore the world order, they all said, “Oh, yes. I LOVE mine.” Huh?!?!? They’ve ALL had one this whole time and didn’t care to sit me down for an intervention with my poorly straightened hair? Let the healing process begin. If after next week when my new CHI is delivered, and you notice that I’m looking more fabulous… that’s why.
New Curtains
This is officially the last amount of fabric I trucked back from Portland. On clearance, with an extra miracle 40% off coupon, I think this fabric was somewhere around $5/yard. I got *just enough* to make a curtain in the baby room, and to save on width, I used quilting tape to finish the edges. I love a 1 hour project.
This geometric pattern mimics the gold pattern in the bumper.
And I’m still debating on the awning…
Does This Baby Make My Butt Look Big?
NVM, don’t answer that… {10 weeks to go!}
I finally decided on a stroller this weekend. That was about as painless as a good body waxing. I could never find any ONE stroller that did all the things that I wanted it to. And to clarify, I am only GUESSING as to what I’m going to want it to do on account of I HAVE NO IDEA. I needed to pick a stroller first, so I knew what kind of car seat was compatible with the stroller. If I had to guess, I’ve spent at LEAST 10 hours on the internet researching strollers and watching every Baby Gizmo YouTube video available. Getting a root canal is more fun than shopping for strollers {oddly enough, I felt the same way about shopping for a wedding dress}.
My mom and I made an emergency trip to Lullaby Lane in San Bruno to make a decision once and for all. By our guestimation, this store had over 60 different strollers – each with its own features and price range {some strollers on the menu were over $900, but many coming in under $200}. Because of my extensive {exhausting} online research, my mom and I were able to make quick work of narrowing down the contenders, and walked out the door with this beauty:
The Valco Baby Latitude. The features that I love about this stroller {which will probably change when I use it for more than carrying groceries to my second-floor condo} start with the cozy boot that snaps on and keeps the baby warm. An easy compact fold, large wheels, large basket, one-handed recline, oversized zip canopy, rain cover, universal car seat straps and telescoping handles were just icing on the cake.
I’m thrilled with the purchase {Coming in just under $270 out the door} and now I can close that disasterous chapter in my life. My marriage and my friendships thank Valco Baby.
Sponsor Love
Some of my favorite products from our sponsors… {okay, really “my” sponsors, but that sounded a little bratty. Sending a little love your way.}
My Sweet Prints
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MySweetPrints
Stic Views
{image via Just Something I Made}
Simple Blueprint Blog
http://simpleblueprint.typepad.com/blog/
I Heart Handmade Market
Spire Design Group
http://www.spiredesigngroup.com/
Brace Yourself Boutique
http://www.braceyourselfboutique.com/
Peripherie
