Voyage to the Isle of Babies

A little like Columbus probably felt when he announced he would sail AROUND a square globe, I have had my moments of certainty and my moments of doubt about moving states during my third trimester. I didn't feel at all like a bold adventurer, more like a scared sailor watching my bearings slowly edge toward the end of the known Atlantic. One of the major worries was that while we were certainly seeking the benefits of increased trade with the East Indies or rather, a better job within Joe's company, we knew that there would be challenges and that we would have to dip quite a bit into our monarchical Savings prior to seeing the real return on our investment in Life Voyaging. Not to mention, while we had the trusty sea-worthy ship the Jehosephat, and the slightly more tired, barnacle encrusted  Lia-Gravida, we also had a brand new, never been tested vessel: the Bambinita Esperanza. Before we moved I officially christened my baby-bark, and began outfitting her with necessities, and have made it my goal to home-make (free) or second-hand (close to free) most of her nursery items. There are, of course, several items I would NOT second-hand, like a mattress, but I am hoping to save as much as I can until our new trade routes are firmly established. 

I am proud to proclaim that my first home-made item is actually a success:  A changing pad cover made from an old pillowcase.

 Changing pad: free gift from a friend who moved in Fargo and had one they were using. Pillowcase: an old old old one from my childhood. Elastic: actually from a really old pair of home-made pj's.. so really, the entire project was free.

Next project: Stuffed Bunny from my old pair of pink pjs. Future projects? Probably another couple of changing pad covers, sheets and bumpers from old appropriately colored sheets (apparently I've liked the same colors for years, and chose those same colors for the baby's room. Way to go Habits!)

That is, those will be the next projects if I can finish the licensing, registrations, fees, and other DMV, hospital, banking etc logistics of moving states.

Warm Weather

While I fully realize that to most people who read our blog, the weather we are experiencing here in Chicago is NOT warm, I have been enjoying the warm (20 degree and up), relatively windless, pre-spring days in Westmont. I can wear a light sweater and a sweater jacket most days outside. I even took the dog to the park and enjoyed a full twenty minutes of walking around (more time than I've had a breather for - or rather, the breath for at the same time as the breather) since before we started packing up in February. Ahhh, good ol' Vitamin D is good for the soul, the pregnant skeletal structure, and the overall attitude. Not to mention my dog heeled like a wonder-pup after we played fetch for a few minutes, which for dog owners, you know is always a gratifying moment when your dog decides to obey your calmest commands.

I even slept with the bedroom window open last night.

Of course, that could have been more related to my night-long hot flash.

And, I DID achieve my hallmark vacuum moment. It was beautiful (feeling the accomplishment). And disgusting (seeing the vacuum compartment the 3 times I had to empty it of dog hair. Yuck.).

Now, with spring coming, I can turn my attention away from wiping muddy paws before they mark our carpeting, and towards the fun baby-crafts and home-making crafts I would love to do. So, while I HAVE been stalking your blogs and enviously dreaming of my own days of furniture overhaul, knitting marathons, and other sewing or wood or food or anything-else crafting, if anyone remembers any particularly fun pre-baby applicable crafts they blogged about, please please post me a link so I can re-stalk you with more immediate intentions. Especially if they are cheap cheap... because really, we are expecting a money-pit to be born into our family in a few weeks and so are pinching pennies.

Taking a breath

Step 1: push feet out of diaphragm.
Step 2: inhale as deep as possible
Step 3: exhale
Step 4: quickly take a drink of water to avoid the coughing fit brought on by the slight cold I have - probably due to stress and insomnia

good times.

Even better times are that there are probably only a few days left before I can consider us fully moved. The finish line? The ability to vacuum the entire apartment without shoving boxes out of the way. I am unbelievably excited.

This is a test....

Since my awesome wife let me get an awesome new phone, I'm trying new things out to see how it works. So I'll try blogging on the go.

This is a picture of my dinner at a restaurant called Space Aliens. It's was pretty good food at a fun environment. We had to eat there once before leaving good ole Fargo.

One Square at Square One

Ok so that list was about all of what I had come up with for my shower registry. I have to side with my good Auntie - if Cheapside was in America instead of England, it's pretty well where I'd build a house. (Speaking of foreign countries, I need your blog address again, por favor Hermana de Espana =D Or a virtual arrow pointing me in the direction I can find it.)  Thus, finding myself in agreement with all of your posts, and also extremely grateful for the offers of borrowing, I am now a little bit unsure (well, really, about as unsure as before) of what to put ON my registry, although I am now more sure of what NOT to put on.

So, I am taking a poll now. Your top 5 ideas for what you have LOVED when other people registered for them. Because, really, I mostly wanted to celebrate having a baby with all my wonderful friends and church-family up here, and hadn't thought very much about registering, and I realize that only having 5 things on a registry is kind of boring for anyone interested in even looking at it.

Spare some change?

So, I need your 2 cents. I've asked a few new-born related questions, and of course, plan on doing my own research etc. I have found, however, that nothing quite beats a personal review. Or multiple personal reviews. Thus, I crave your advice you wonderful mommies you. And wonderful daddies too!

I apologize in advance for the infantile phrasing.

Do Dr. Brown's baby bottles deserve bundles of boasts?
Or are other options an obvious advantage?

How much swaddle should a sleep sack give, if a sleep sack keeps back wiggle?
Should newborns have their 2nd amendment rights - the right to Bare Arms?
Or is it safer, and give more restful sleep, if we control those baby guns?

Is a Boppie the way to go for a little somethin' extra in the nursing department, if you know what I mean, or is the other brand really my new Brestfriend?
(Do you daddies out there have a preference for arm-rest during those bottle-feeding sessions?)

Zombie Apocalypse

Just in time for Halloween, we decided it was high time we were prepared for the inevitable. You guessed it, what the First Presidency has been declaring for over 20 years, physical preparedness for zombie apocalypse.

Or, for the far less likely event of earthquake, flood, or possible loss of income.

We did find some killer (or should I say, RE-killer? Is that stretching the joke way too far?) deals...
Real wooden book case for storage solution: $12
Cute curtain to hang to cover stockpile: $0 (found it in my piles and boxes of stuff)
Food at Costco ... ok this part wasn't really a steal, but they were good prices. (less than $200 for around 1.5 months of food for two)

Presto, at least 1.5 months food storage of all the necessities in a ready-to-rotate, easy-to-locate manner. With plenty of room to grow.

I do need help though, I'd love advice on how to refurbish our book case. It was a thrift-store find, so two of the shelves are that particle-board stuff, not really sand-able, but readily paint-able. I am looking for some style advice - and a project that will take about 2-5 hours of actual work, and then perhaps overnight drying time. JD likes a sleek, modern look. I'd like whatever style it ends up being to be A) not screaming thrift store item, and B) something I can carry on to refurbishing our current wooden table.. Any ideas?

I will actually complete the winning idea, so you will have the honor of making a perma-difference in our home, as this will be coming with us in future for sure for a while.

And, I'm having trouble uploading the picture, so if it feels necessary, just comment and I'll struggle to upload it until it gets done.