Baby Arts & Crafts

So, I think I'm turning into the Mommyblogger I never thought I would.  But really baby is more exciting than anything else going on.  And while we have nice days now and then it's still to cold for our city walks.

 We found out Simon was a boy just before Valentine's Day.  This is a holiday we don't really celebrate (I have made it clear we don't need to do gifts etc., I am ok with this, Rob is ok with this, you should be ok with this for us too) but Rob thought it would be fun to paint onesies for baby.  We picked up some plain white newborn size (still wondering if I should have gone with the 0-3 month size) onesies at Babies 'R Us on sale for $2.99 and fabric paint at Michaels.

Rob ended up having a work thing on Valentine's Day (I told him to go and we'd reschedule painting, again we don't really celebrate the day) so we didn't paint until last Saturday night.

See what fun we had.

 

Yes, I'm wearing a smock.  It's in my best interest.

 

And the finished project.  We are going to have the best dressed baby.  For the first week until he outgrows these anyway.

Rob painted, I'm showing it off.

Old Navy had these shoes on clearance, I couldn't resist.

I painted.

We painted together.  Inside joke.

Rob painted.

I painted.

I think I'm in love

People have been asking me if I have food cravings.  And I really haven't, at least not more than the usual, I'm hungry and this sounds really good and that's what we NEED for dinner kind.  But there is one thing.  I'm not 100% sure if it's pregnancy related or if it stems more from the fact that Eatery stopped making their Southwestern Fried Chicken Salad, I have been looking for good fried chicken.  It's one of those foods that is just too hard for a small kitchen, there would be grease on EVERYTHING.

Today Rob went into the city and Brooklyn to run some errands with me.  At the end of it, we were picking up a something from a friend and thought we'd ask them for a lunch recommendation in Greenpoint/Williamsburg, where we were.  We were looking for a fancy coffee shop that served real food too.  The original plan was to go for coffee, but we were out longer than anticipated.  We were sent to Brooklyn Label.  Where they have Fried Chicken and Waffles.

 

This dish is called Harlem Style Fried chicken and Waffles.  I remember first hearing about it at a preschool in Harlem, when we asked the kids what they liked to eat at restaurants.  I kind of almost didn't believe them that it was real.  Since then I've heard more about this dish.  But still it never piqued my interest enough to find a place that had it.  But with my recent hunt for fried chicken, I thought I'd give it a try.

*Brief aside: you can get fried chicken in plenty of places, but it's Korean fried chicken, which just isn't the same as Grandma's.  This fried chicken is southern fried chicken, just on a waffle.

At first I was going to eat the chicken, then put syrup on the waffle.  But a little bit of maple syrup on fried chicken is kind of delicious.  I don't know how I've never had this before.

Past Halfway: 21 weeks

Wow!  Time is starting to fly by.  I'm starting to get a little nervous about getting all my schoolwork done in time.  But it will happen.  I am at 21 weeks now, so a more than halfway done.  Last week for the first time someone stopped and asked me "Are you having a baby?"  That made me happy.  I finally look pregnant enough that it's safe to ask.  It's happened a couple more times since.

Baby boy weighed 12 oz. 10 days ago, I'm sure he's bigger now.  I forgot to ask the length, but around 11 inches.

I've gained 7 or 8 pounds so far.  I like food again.  No real cravings though, which is a disappointment I must say.  Cravings make meal planning much easier.

I joined on online mom's group in our neighborhood, and it's been great so far.  I picked up a bag of maternity clothes from there to go along with what friends have given me and the few things I bought.  I bought the blue shirt in the picture last week, I figure I'm a boy mom, I need something blue.  I also scored a baby bathtub, which is being put to good use holding the baby items that are starting to accumulate.

Motion sickness is still going strong, but I am taking zofran before car trips now, and that is amazing stuff.  I'm also still having trouble sleeping, but the sleep pillow I bought is at least keeping me on my side.  I never realized how nice it feels to lay on my back until I couldn't do it anymore.

Baby boy is moving and I can feel it now.  There were a couple of jabs over the weekend that Rob could feel too.  That is lots of fun.

I'm starting to "nest"  I spent a few hours on Sunday afternoon cleaning out the closet and clutter in the nursery/office.  There is still some work to be done, but a crib is now conceivable.  I also have a long list of house projects.  Rob says I need to prioritize, and be ok that they won't all get done.  I can deal with that.

He or She

So, we did it we went to the BIG ultrasound appointment.  And babykakes was decidedly stubborn.  We got the gender, and it's a BOY!  But that was the easy part.  We got the major organs.  The heart beat was good, that was a tricky one, he wouldn't cooperate.  He was moving around some at the beginning of the appointment.  And then must have gone to sleep, because he would. not. move.  So we didn't get the cute profile shot.  We did get to see his 10 fingers and 10 toes.

feet

We left with instructions to come back in a week and drink lots of juice before the appointment instead of water.  And to bring chocolate just in case.  We went home, and named him.  We are having a boy.  I'm having a SON.  I am still in awe over it.

leg

We called and told the family.  I had a mild panic attack on Thursday, when for some reason it hit me that OMG, I'm really having a baby.  What am I thinking?  Rob said it's a little late for that.  And yes, I really am having a baby.  In less than five months.

I went to my second ultrasound Friday.  And I drank juice and ate some cookies, and really sugared up the kid.  It worked.  He was kicking and moving like crazy.  And twisting and turning, and it's still a boy.  We saw his spine (one of the missing pieces) but he would. not. show. his. face.  Every time he would roll, he would turn his face away.  After lots of poking and urging and changing position, and he still wouldn't move...I laid on my side for a few minutes.  And then some more poking and prodding, he turned his head!  Hooray!  And promptly covered his face with his hands.  Is this stubbornness a sign of things to come?  Oh, boy.  He did move his hands though, and we got to see his pudgy face.  Everything looks great.

 Without further ado.  Introducing Simon Kenton Powers.  Coming July 2011.

bloggy goodness

Back in August, I went to BlogHer.

I met some bloggy friends.  

Who I follow on Twitter and read their blogs.

A few weeks ago I saw this tweet:

 Picking up initial order of GS cookies - pls buys some so I dont eat them all and end up having a 12 lb baby. Free ship if u get 5 boxes!

And I love girls scout cookies.  Back in Indiana when I taught dance classes, I always stocked up.  There were a ton of girl scouts.  And someone was always selling outside of Wal-Mart or Kroger if I forgot to order.

Then I moved to New York.  And no Girl Scouts (well there are scouts here, but they are hard to find, and I don't know any) so no Girl Scout Cookies.

So I tweeted back.  And placed and order.  And after two blizzards delayed shipping.
THIS arrived last week:

And THIS is what was inside:

Different names for some of the cookies.  Peanut Butter Patties instead of Tagalongs and Caramel Delights instead of Samoas.  But they still taste the same.

Rob tried to eat a whole box of my PB Patties.  I told him those were for me and his baby.  The Caramel Delights were all his (I don't like coconut).  The Thin Mints are for sharing.

Even if I never have a Girl Scout of my own, now at least I can get some cookies.

Thank goodness for bloggy friends.

Camera Love

We bought a new camera a few of weeks ago.  It's fancy and has two lenses.  And takes HD video.  We've been talking about it and researching for about a year, and decided now is the time.  I'm learning to use it.  I'm really looking forward to a day when I can take it outside.  I've been using the new camera instead of the old one for blog pictures, which is going to be fantastic.  Once I can figure out how to get the pictures off of the camera and on to the computer.  I think I finally have the right software installed.  And I've been looking for the cord, which Rob has put away somewhere safe that is not the camera bag.  There are a LOT of cords on his computer.  But then I realized that even if I could find the cord, I don't have the foggiest where to connect it to the camera.  I think I need another lesson.  Until then, words only.

Strawberry

I know it's a bit early from gardening.  But last weekend felt downright springlike.  And today too.  I mean it's 35 outside, and NOT windy or snow/ice/sleet/raining.  Relative to the single digits and weather we have had lately, I say it qualifies.

Last summer Rob had the idea that he wanted to plant berries in our balcony garden.  I told him it wouldn't work, but go for it.  Strawberry seeds were bought and planted, and started to grow.  In the fall they were ready to be thinned and transplanted.  Lucky for us we brought the pot inside sometime in November before crazy snow started, so the plants survived.  The transplant pot however didn't come in until about 3 weeks ago, and then we had to wait for the dirt to thaw.  And last week, we started this summer's garden.

Six decent size plants in two pots.  Will they bear fruit?  It might still be another year before we know, but for now the green is nice.  Ahh, dreaming of my spring time planting and my summer garden.

**baby news coming soon.   I am trying to not be baby only all the time.

babykakes

I use kaseykakes, so baby can be babykakes, at least until we find out what the gender is and we can come up with a real name.  I am 18 weeks, so almost halfway done (for those not in the know - pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, for those who don't like math - I'm 4 months along).  This picture is from last week.  I feel like I look pregnant.  None of my clothes fit.  I've been in maternity jeans since 14 weeks, I have one old low rise pair I can still wear too.  Just this week I noticed that none of my shirts are long enough.  I have a small stash of maternity tees that I bought a few weeks ago, and lucky me I have a friend who is passed on a few more things, so I now have about a weeks worth of clothes.

Stats:
Weight gain: so far is about 4-5 pounds.  Around 7 if we start from the lowest weight during the weeks of lots-o-throwin'up.  This is on the low end, but my doctor assures me is healthy and ok.
Sickness: It's not the nausea or the "morning sickness" so much anymore.  That's gone.  However, I still have bad motion sickness.  Which is usually ok, except that I work in Staten Island two days a week and one leg each way requires a car or bus.  Last night I threw up in Brooklyn.  One reason I prefer cars is there is the opportunity to pull over
Food:  Everyone keeps asking me about cravings or aversions.  And really not much.  If anything I kind of have an aversion to all food most of the time, or at least nothing sounds good when I think about it.  But I eat what is put before me.  Rob has been doing a lot of the cooking.  I may be coming out of this though.  The last few days I've actually wanted to eat.
I'm still sleeping a ton, or not sleeping as I wake up most nights trying to get comfortable.  No nesting yet, but I have most of the essentials picked out.  Nothing bought yet.