thank you cali's grace

my search for the perfect take home outfit for addison has commenced & i am in LOVE.  i have searched for months & when i saw a 0-3 month version of this little number on CalisGrace on ESTY i had to find out if she would custom make something for addison. it is EXACTLY what i was looking for & i already have the perfect headband & shoes to match it. she blogged about it today so i figured i'd share.

http://calisgrace.blogspot.com/

This week I had the amazing honor of making this little number.  Every piece of clothing I make makes me so proud to be doing what I am doing.  The fact that moms just like myself, or grandma's or friends are actually spending their hard earned money on something I create just blows my mind!  And now that I honed my passion into something like Cali's Grace and people are responding so positively makes it so much sweeter.  

This piece though.....this piece is truly special to me.  A mommy-to-be in North Carolina contacted me looking for something similar to our Petal Perfect Frock, but needed it in the itty-est bitty-est size yet!  Her little girl is due to arrive in late August and she's expected to be around 6 lbs.  Now, my son was born 6 lbs 8 oz and he was TINY!  Her little girl will be even smaller.  

So I thought about this and this is how our Petal Perfect Frock translated into the smallest piece of clothing Cali's Grace has ever made.  

What made this so special to me is that the mommy-to-be is planning on having her new baby girl wear this home from the hospital.  If you are like me, you probably saved your child's outfit that they wore for the first time when they set off into the wide wide world.  Something about that outfit is so important to us moms.  The journey homes marks a first in the many journeys that will end up being our lives.  

I am so completely honored, and humbled that something I made with my own two hands will hold such a special place in the life of this little girl!  

Thank you, and good luck Holly!

<3 Sarah

5 weeks until Addison

 i feel like my belly is stretched to full capacity. it is TIGHT! thankfully my gram taught me at a young age the importance of moisturizing your skin. i remember her telling me how important it was to put lotion on before you went to bed & after you shower.  thankfully that habit was formed long before i ever got pregnant. i attribute my lack of stretch marks to her...thanks gram! i have never met anybody in my entire life with more lotions than her! seriously it's a borderline obsession. 

engaged

as of today's dr.'s appointment addison is fore sure engaged in my pelvis.  she is anterior, meaning she is facing my back.  apparently this is the most favorable position for labor because it will help her maneuver through the birth canal. she is also vertex, head down, curled up in fetal position with chin to chest, also the most favorable position for labor. yay addison! i guess that explains all pressure in my pelvis. i am not dilated but i am starting to thin. no worries there. the most reassuring news is baby's born at this point, with no other health problems, generally do just as well as full-term babies. i also found out that despite my fentanyl allergy i can still have an epidural if i choose. because my "allergic reaction" to fentanyl was immediately post-op in the PACU & there were many other things that could have contributed to my allergic reaction he said no worries, especially because it's unlikely to produce a systemic effect.  it was a big sigh of relief for philip & i...and even dr. alvarez, lol.  worst case scenario is they'd use marcaine.  i go back in 2 weeks then switch to every week visits....holy moly she is almost here!!

6 weeks until Addison

 

philip wanted me to post some of the other cantaloupe pictures:

socially induced insecurity

the plunge to parenthood is getting, real and scary and eiik wicked real & scary.

i am not sure if knowing we have 47 days give or take a few, that makes it all that more real & scary, or the overwhelming sense of unpreparedness that has over taken me again!

looking at our time line in days is quite overwhelming!!  i feel like we have SO much to finish.

i am going to do a massive overhaul of the house in the next few days.  i am off for 5 days after thursday so i should have plenty of time to get things accomplished.

i'll give it one last go then we are planning on hiring a cleaning company to come in a couple weeks before addison is due to get the house squeaky clean.

the nursery is almost complete but not quite finished. the window bench is installed/painted.  really all we have left is hanging the pictures on the walls, hanging a shelf & finding the perfect spot for our custom chair....oh the custom chair we ordered march 26th & still haven't received. we are still waiting on confirmation of shipment for the glider rocker.  we got an update yesterday & it is scheduled to ship friday (supposedly...we have been hearing this for 3 weeks past the date we were supposed to receive it). as soon as the chair is in the room & pictures are up, i will post a complete nursery update.

i am packing my hospital bag this week...another big, "oh my gosh", she is going to be here really soon task.

this week my travel radius is reduced. i have a fear of going into labor in an unknown place & being away from everything that makes me feel safe & comfortable. i am at a point where i really don't want to travel more than an hour away (probably irrational, but it is what it is).  philip & i actually started planning our trip to hawaii in the spring with addison.

another reality check that addison will be here soon is that when people ask when i am due, we can say "next month." it's funny because i think we have said "we are going to be parents next month" a thousand times.  philip usually completes the statement by saying "yikes". 

in all seriousness we are anxious & excited....although the recent news of the 16 lb baby born in texas doesn't ease any of my labor fears, lol.

on a side note: i guess now that i am obviously pregnant people feel like it's okay to be obnoxious & ask totally inappropriate questions & make the much-lamented comments that pregnant women "love", <insert sarcasm here>.

despite the fact that i have only gained 17 lbs & have 6 weeks to go, totally within the normal range of weight gain during pregnancy (actually under what my OB projected for my pre-pregnancy weight), i can't tell you how many times i have heard  “Are you really going to make it to august? you look huge!”

Question: When is it OK to tell a woman that? Ever? 

over the weekend a total stranger asked “are you sure there aren’t twins in there?” Haha … ha, hilarious!

addison's gender is suddenly in question because people looooooove to tell me "there is no way you are carrying a girl, you are carrying so low. you just wait until you deliver & it's a little boy." pretty sure there is no scientific evidence related to gender & how a women carries.

i am over the totally inappropriate people who think it's ok to touch my belly without asking...complete strangers. seriously. i actually respond now with "do you usually find it acceptable to touch a complete strangers belly." it's one thing to ask, or be a close friend & touch my belly, but come on....i thought touching a stranger was a NO NO.

Lately I have been getting the "i know you aren't supposed to ask, i wasn't going to say anything but congratulations, you look pregnant. how far along are you."I tell them when i am due & they say "they must have your due date wrong, there is no way you are 8 months.

Ahh....socially induced insecurity at it's finest.

we are really excited though & i love talking about addison. i have learned a lot of patience in dealing with the awkwardness of people's lack of social skills. mostly people are positive & encouraging & it's easy to blow off the ignorant ones.  

i am sure in less than 47 days, when she is born a whole new set of people will come out of the woodwork.  

7 weeks until Addison

my little volleyball belly

i love this picture of philip & i

8 weeks until Addison

jumping with fire is probably not the most responsible thing to do 8 months pregnant

i love sparklers & philip found me GIANT ones

i know it's blurry but i was FREAKING out because of the smoke & i was convinced they were going to blow up in my hands