Happy Birthday Blue Eyes

Today is Mr. Blue Eyes' birthday! Happy Birthday! I hope you have an amazing day. You are so incredibly special to Charlotte and me. I really hope that your day is fun. And that you get everything that you want. Including a date and a birthday cake from my bestie! I've really been working on that! And who knows, maybe your Goddaughter will be born on your birthday too! 10-10-10 would be an easy birthday to remember. :)

More than anything, I want you to be happy. You have completely gone over and beyond your call as a friend. I'm so grateful for that. You've been my shoulder to cry on. More than once. As my life was falling apart, you were there to help me through it all. I'll never forget that.

I know, we have 40 more years to celebrate birthdays together. But I really want you to be happy. You deserve that. You do so much for everybody else in your life. Not only today, but all the time, I want you to be happy. To be able to have everything that you want in your life. Happy Birthday and Good Luck today! Your 2 biggest fans are cheering you on. :) H

Polyvore Maternity Style

Yes, I've been "laboring" off and on, since yesterday afternoon. That's over 24 hours. And my midwife said, I still have a way to go, before I can head to the hospital. Just when I get really excited, my contractions all but completely stop! Ugh!

So tonight, while talking to Miss Charlotte, I decided to have a little bit of fun. I finally decided to make a new set on Polyvore. Here is my page. And this is the look I came up with.

You know, I just can't think of having to wear pants. I haven't worn pants in at least 2 weeks. I'm thinking it's been a lot longer. Everything that touches my belly, it annoys me. Clothes feel like they're strangling my body. No lie! So I have been wearing lots of dresses. Flowy dresses. With sandals. And I'm not a dress kind of a woman. Nope. All of the year before I got pregnant, I might have worn a dress 3 times.

But dresses have been my "go to," during my entire pregnancy. Love it! They're so comfy. And super easy! If I could just find some underwear that didn't bother me, we'd be perfect! Until then, I have Polyvore to play on. And maybe a nap to take. I didn't sleep much last night. H

I Think She's Waiting

Yes, I think Charlotte is waiting. On purpose. You know, for next week. When S and Mr. Blue Eyes are in town for work. When my bestie is here to perform. I think Charlotte knows that they're all coming. And she doesn't want to come until everyone is here. To be here when she is born.

To be honest, I'd be comfortable with that too! I'd love to have S in the delivery room with me. Because he's been my main coach. S has gone with me to all of my classes. He's been amazing. I know he would be a great coach. But he's working. He has a job that he can't get away from. But next week, he'd be here. In town.

And I would really LOVE to have my bestie with me. She works in L&D. And has delivered babies. I'd love for her to be here with me. To help me with my labor and delivery. To be a coach. And to give me advice during my labor. Wouldn't it be neat to have Charlotte's Godparents here for her birth? To have them hear her 1st cries. And to see her during her first few moments of life.

Is that selfish of me? To want my friends here. I have no family here. I have a few casual friends here. But no one that I'm close to. I don't want to be alone on this important day. I want for my little girl to come into the world, surrounded by all the people that love her. The people that she's going to grow to love too. Maybe we're both just waiting until next week. H

Pregnancy and Sex

Today I had my 1st official "Post-term, non-stress test." We're not any closer to delivery than I was last week. Or a month ago for that matter. But Charlottte and I are doing really well. We're both perfectly healthy and on track. But I'm 3 days past my due date. Which isn't a lot. At least that is what my doctor told me. And I have 11 more days until I can be induced...

So both my midwife and my doctor gave me a long list of suggestions. Most of which, I've already been doing. You know, spicy food, long walks, teas, different herbs, etc. I've been trying them all. Nothing is working. My contractions aren't anywhere near regular and constant. I actually had more contractions last week.

The only thing on these lists that I haven't tried is sex. And both of these women keep encouraging it. I do believe that my doctor told me that if she could prescribe it, she would. And my midwife told me to "go have some fun."

The problem is, there is no one in my life. Not in that kind of romantic sense. I'm in the middle of a divorce. My hubby, he can't stand me. He doesn't want our daughter. S, well he's my friend. Would he do it if I asked? I'm positive that he would. Being that he always wants to help me. And he likes to take care of Charlotte and me. Oh, and he wants us to date. But I'm not going there. I can't screw up another friendship. Not right now.

And I'm not comfortable with myself. Not with my body. I'm big. I haven't seen my feet in, I don't know how long. My breasts are 3 sizes larger than normal. I lose my breath walking to my car. And my medical professionals want me to have sex. Don't they understand that the night I got pregnant, that was the last time. I was with my hubby.

Now I'm alone. To deal with all of this. Being overdue and uncomfortable. Being somewhat frustrated with my body. I'm not scared of raising my daughter alone. I'm scared that I'm never going to go into labor. And the only thing that people tell me to do, I can't do. Because seriously, who would have sex with me? I'm 9 months pregnant. And not feeling a bit attractive. I'm hoping that the 5 mile walk, that S and I took tonight, I hope that helps. If not, I might be pregnant for another 9 months! H

Excited for Mommyhood

I just LOVE this video of Lilia! She is so cute. And I love the interaction with her and her parents. They all look so happy. She just lights up around her daddy. That is what kills me when I watch this video. Because all I can think of is, my daughter is not going to have that same relationship with her daddy. And that saddens me.

But just watching this video has made me excited. And so anxious! I can't wait to meet my daughter! To see her grow and change. To be able to hear her life. Or see her smile when she sees me. Oh, I'm so anxious to meet my little Charlotte. :)

Just watching Lilia play in her bath, that melted my heart. I can just imagine sharing that time with Charlotte. I can't wait until we can sit there and play. And we can make each other laugh. How exciting! I'm ready to be a mommy. I'm just waiting for my little girl to be born! H

Jello Pudding Pops

On the eve of my due date, I'm craving these pudding pops. And I have none! Not a single one in my house. Ugh! And I don't want to go to the store. Especially at night. I can barely fit in my car. My belly has been touching the steering for a while now. So I try to avoid any extra and unnecessary driving.

But all I can think about are these pudding pops. They're amazing! A wonderful mix of pudding and ice cream. Wonderful! And after today at work, I really could use something amazing! Tomorrow, as soon as I leave my doctor's appointment, I"m going for a box or 2 of these bad boys! I might put myself in a sugar coma tomorrow night. H

Dinner for S

My friend S had a tough day yesterday. And I wanted to do something to cheer him up. Every Monday, S comes over for dinner. He drives over 3 hours to come visit me. One way! When I get home from work, he is sitting on my porch waiting for me. S always brings dinner, and usually something for Charlotte. Then he helps me with different projects around my house.

S is a great guy! He had a tough day yesterday. A really tough day. I wanted to do something special for him. Like cook him dinner. You know, instead of him buying something. So I'm planning on making this. Doesn't it look good? And it looks pretty easy. Something that I can't mess up. :)

Now I just need to go to work. And try and get off early. So that I can get to the grocery store. And hopefully have dinner ready for S. I told him not to worry about anything this week. Let's hope I can get it all done. H

Maternity Fashion

I read this blog post today. I wish it had been around 3 months ago. Maybe I would have better known how to dress my body. Ugh! I'm just not good at these things. And I could have used the help. Especially for work clothes. Being that I'm less than a month from having Charlotte, I probably won't be buying any more maternity clothes. But this was a good read.

Cardigan Empire is a good blog in general. You know, for all things fashion related. And if you're pregnant, there is an entire section of the blog, dedicated to Maternity fashions and body types. At this point, I'm a "Low and Lush" gal! Is it funny, that I sorta wish, I was going to be pregnant for a few more months? You know, so I would have an excuse to go shopping. :) H

I Got Them!

I had these 3 items on my "Wishlist" for what seems like forever. I just love them! If I had thought about it, Charlotte's nursery would have been done in this fabric. But look at how cute everything is!

I really wanted a Diapee. I just think they're a good product. Something that can get a lot of use. :)

And this entire set. It just makes me so happy! A Wipee case, some burp clothes, and a changing pad. All so chic!

This is definitely a must have for a breastfeeding Mommy!

Well, part of our gifts from my bestie, they included all 3 of these items. But she made them. All out of hot pink and the black and white damask fabric. So incredibly cute! And I think they'll really go well with my diaper bag. Thank you so much bestie! The ones that my bestie made, are even cuter than these ones! Is that possible? Yes, it is! H

Gifts for Me!

My bestie is amazing! Not only did she shower Charlotte with a ton of presents this weekend, she managed to throw us 2 Baby Showers. Yes, 2! We got some many amazing presents. All handmade, from my bestie. Charlotte's Nana (Godmother.)

But my bestie is so completely amazing! She also gave me some presents. Like this beautiful crochet shawl, that she made me. It's a beautiful mix of blues. My favorite color. And it's so incredibly soft! I already snuggled up in it last night. :)

My bestie also gave me this gift set. Lush's "The Art of Bathing." There are 11 different "Bath Bombs" and "Bubble Bars." They all smell amazing! And after a weekend jam packed with fun and adventure, I was so looking forward to an amazing bath last night. That's exactly what I got!

Thank you Bestie! You are amazing. If I haven't told you enough, we love you! And you are incredible. Thank you for traveling across the country, to see me all fat and pregnant. For being so excited at Charlotte's appointment on Friday. And for being an amazing friend. I had so much fun this weekend. And I'm already counting the days for you to return in October!

My best friend is leaving later today. And that makes me so sad. But we had such a great time. I need to find my camera so I can blog about our Baby Showers. We got so much stuff! And all the stuff that my bestie and her parents sent, is so amazing! Everything is so beautiful! And I can't wait for Charlotte to start using it all. :) H

My Plaster Belly

You know, you've seen them. The Plaster Pregnant Bellies. I wasn't so sure about getting one done. But after talking to some friends, I decided to do it. :)

And I'm really glad I did. I think it's going to be an amazing piece for Charlotte. S and I went on Wednesday. And he helped me as we got the plaster belly done. It was actually really relaxing and a whole lot of fun!

Then I left my belly at the studio. I'm having it painted. And I honestly can't wait to get it back! I don't know exactly what it's going to look like. They took some ideas from me. And some from Charlotte's nursery. So I think it's going to be fun to see it, when it's all done. And that should be sometime in the middle of October. After Charlotte is born. :) Thank you S for this amazing gift! H

So Bubbly and Nice

I just love Sam's videos. She is so cute and excited with her pregnancy. And she is amazing with makeup! And hair too! She is so bubbly. And whenever I'm down, I sit and watch 1 of her videos. Sam is so genuine and sweet. And I've really been enjoying watching other women's videos about pregnancy. I think it's so nice to sit and listen to women going through the same thing that I'm going through. It makes me feel less alone.

You know, in this entire journey, I feel alone. I mean, I have Charlotte. But I don't have a partner to share this with. And all of my close friends live so far away. And most are super busy with their own families. And newborn babies. So it's nice to watch these pregnancy vlogs. :) H

Diaper Bag

I finally decided on a Diaper Bag. I ogt the Kalencom Quilted Traveler Diaper Bag. I wanted something that didn't look too much like a Diaper Bag. I like the sleek and chic look of this bag. And I'm really happy with it! It's surprisingly big and room. I know that you can't tell from the picture. But it's a good sized bag. Now I just need to get some stuff to put inside. :) H

Preparing for Daycare

Now that I know where Charlotte is going to Daycare, I'm trying to get ready. Her Daycare is amazing! They are so excited about us breastfeeding and cloth diapering. A very supportive place.

I got to meet with the ladies, that are going to be taking care of Charlotte. They showed me where they are going to store my milk. And they are very excited that I work down the road. Because I'll be spending my lunch breaks with my little girl. We'll both be having our lunch together. :)

But I also got a good idea of what we'd need. I picked up some stuff. And there are still some things that I'm on the hunt for. Like bottles. You know, for when I'm working. I'm also considering some pacifiers. Things like that. But here is what I've gotten so far.

Lots and lots of Fuzzi Bunz! I know we're going to need these. And I mean lots! Like in 3 dozen just for Daycare.

And a wet bag. You know to put the Fuzzi Bunz in. I actually bought 4 different ones. But this is the one that is going to stay at Daycare.

And a diaper bag. You know to put everything in. :)

This is a really nice Daycare. And I'm so lucky to have found it. They are so excited to work with the parents. And are willing to do just about anything to make it easy on you. I'm so glad about this.

There are still some things I need to get. But being that I still have almost 3 months until my due date, I think I'm on the right track. Is there anything else that you'd recommend? H

Bassinet

I honestly hadn't thought of a bassinet. I mean, I had looked at them. But they didn't seem practical. I never thought that I'd be buying one. Or that we'd really need one. I figured Charlotte could sleep with me until she was a few months old. Then, she could sleep in her crib.

I got a Moses basket from a friend. And I thought that would be nice to use in the 1st few weeks. You know, while we maybe sat in the living room for a few minutes. But a bassinet, or a co-sleeper, I never thought about it.

But S came over today. He had this beautiful bassinet with him. Isn't it gorgeous? It's a co-sleeper too.

That "missing side" is like that, so it can fit against your bed.

And if you want to use it as bassinet, you can put up the sides.

It's absolutely beautiful! S immediately got it together. And put it next to my bed. Something about it, made me feel like this entire pregnancy was real. Like this little bassinet, really made my baby girl real. :)

I just keep looking at it. It's right here on my side. I'm in bed right now. And I can't help but smile. In about 3 1/2 months, I'll have my little girl. Right here, sleeping next to me. It's so exciting! H

We Have a Daycare :)

I'm so excited! I found a Daycare. The perfect place. Literally, it's down the road from my job. Which is great! Since I'm going to be breastfeeding. That means I can spend my lunch breaks with my little girl. Feeding her. :)

And the people at the Daycare are amazing! So sweet. And really good with the kids. There are only 2 babies to 1 care giver. I think that is incredible. The Daycare is super clean. And honestly, it's a beautiful place. I feel really comfortable with having Charlotte there.

And I completely lucked out. Because a few days before I went to look into this Daycare, a family with 3 kids, moved. It just happened that I went for a tour on their last day. And the owner was there. She was beyond thrilled that I work down the road. And that I want to breastfeed and cloth diaper.

2 days later, I got the call. That we had gotten in! I'm really excited. And it's not one of those crazy, overly expensive places. But it's clean. Really clean. I think this is going to be so good for Charlotte. Hopefully when she starts preschool and kindergarten it will be as smooth. We're on waiting lists for both. Yes, it's that crazy here! H

Moses Basket

Mr. Blue Eye's Mom bought me a Mother's Day present. Isn't that so sweet? I seen her this morning. A beautiful gold heart necklace. On the back it's engraved Charlotte's Mommy '10. On the front, it has another heart outlined, with 2 diamonds inside. I cried. I literally cried when she gave it to me. And she "Welcomed" me into the "Mommy hood." So sweet! I wish I had a camera to share it with you!

She also got Charlotte this Moses Basket. She said it was a must! I think it's beautiful. And just perfect. You can remove the mattress thing and all the fabric for easy washing. It's absolutely perfect. I love the print too!

Thank you so much Mrs. J! That was so sweet of you. I really miss working with you. And seeing you everyday. I hope we get to spend more time together. Because I really do miss you! H

Wow!!!

Do you remember when I was debating about what bedding to buy Charlotte? Well, I picked the Butterfly Kisses. I really liked how it wasn't too "baby-ish," and could grow with Charlotte. Similar to the furniture.

But S had a different idea. He came over tonight. HUGE boxes with him. Loaded with the Zola Collection. :) Yes, Charlotte now has 2 sets of bedding. With all the accessories!!! So here is what Charlotte got from her Uncle S.

Here is the Zola Collection. I actually bought a rug similar to that one last week. :)

A cute tiger!

A little elephant.

And this cute giraffe!

This adorable mobile. Don't you just love the little animals?

And S bought us 2 lamps. So cute!

He also got us 3 of these adorable elephants to hang on the wall. :)

Charlotte got 3 of these little blankets. Isn't this tiger so cute?

And 6, of these tin containers. They match the pails that I bought.

We got 4 curtains. Again, I have the long sheers to match.

And 6, yes 6, sheets! I LOVE the little animals. :)

A diaper holder. That monkey is just too cute!

We got 3 rugs too! Aren't they cute?

And this adorable Monkey Nap Mat. I'll probably just save it for Charlotte to use for school.

Can you tell that Charlotte is already spoiled? Spoiled rotten! S is so incredibly kind to us. We're very, very lucky! He's also hired painters, to come paint the nursery next week. When I'm gone. And my bestie will be here to help me start putting Charlotte's nursery together.

I'm glad that the 2 bedding sets are similar in color. I think everything is going to go well. I had already bought some lamps. And a big rug. It matches both bedding sets. And I'm really excited! I really can't wait for my bestie to come. Because she is really good at decorating rooms. I just can't wait to see the nursery complete! H

Butterfly Kisses

I finally made up my mind. And I ordered the Butterfly Kisses Bedding Set. :) I also bought lots of the extras. I know. I'm a sucker. But I just couldn't resist!

The wall hangings.

3 sets of these butterflies.

A frog humidifier. Never mind how cute it is! :)

9 of these buckets. I figure I can use them for all sorts of things.

The mobile. I'm sure Charlotte will love it!

4 of these curtains. I also bought some sheer curtains, from Target. The kind that cover the entire window.

I bought 4 sheets. I figured that they would come in handy. :)

I got 3 of these cute blankets.

And 3 of these blankets. :)

I know. It's a lot! But Charlotte is going to need it. So I figured I'd get everything right away. I really do love it all! And after talking to my bestie, I'm going to paint the walls lavender. I'm going to leave the trim and wainscoting white. I'm so excited to get everything together for Charlotte! H

Rock-A-Bye Glider and Ottoman

I bit the bullet. And I ordered my Glider and Ottoman. The 2 together were under $550. And they were worth every penny! Oh my goodness! They are comfortable. I've secretly considered buying 2 of these chairs, but the cream ones, for my living room. :)

Don't tell me that this chair doesn't look comfy. In real life, I fell asleep in it, on the day it was delivered. :)

And a comfy ottoman, for those late nights of breastfeeding. :)

Yes, after looking and looking, I ordered this set from Babies 'R Us. I feel like it was a really good deal. Like I said, it's super comfy. It's firm and supportive, but really comfy. And I decided on the green, because it matches all 4 of the bedding sets, that I've been thinking about. Every set has green in it. So I think this will go really well. Now I just can't wait to rock my baby to sleep. H