As the title already states, I'm pretty sure my nesting period is in full swing.  Every time I turn around, I find myself working on or thinking about projects for the baby.  So last week was the crocheting...no I haven't finished.  I started a baby scarf and I need another set of needles...  I've been thinking a lot about what I'm going to do about the baby bedding, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized, I really wanted to make it myself.  Of course I'm not much of a sewer At. All.  So I'm sure I'm setting myself up for disaster, but I figure I'll never know till I try. (right??)

So today, after finding myself wasting an hour and a half browsing cool stuff on pinterest, I stumbled on this image:

I know what you're thinking, it's not a quilt...haha, good guess!  But she has a great tutorial on how to make those individual hexagon quilt shapes, and initially I was thinking, I'm sooo gonna make this clutch.  Then I thought, why not use her tutorial and start making that babies quilt?!  It wont be covered in hexagons, it'll be more like grandma's garden style, but fewer flowers and a lot less time consuming. (one hopes)

I've also been thinking about what kind of fabrics I' want to use, and I started thinking if I waste money on tons of fabrics and it turns out to be a bust, then I'll be mad.  Which led me to my scrap bin...

Have you ever visited the land of nod?  You can order free fabric samples for any of the bedding that they have.  I've got quite the collection growing since I've been looking for baby bedding ideas.  They are aprox 4" squares and I thought, hey FREE makes perfect for me, plus I don't have to bother picking out the fabrics.  Believe me, I'm the most indecisive person when it come to picking out fabric!

After a lot more internet browsing and youtube tutorial watching, I finally talked myself into getting started.  Why not at least see if I can do it??

So through running errands this afternoon, cooking dinner, and family worship, I'm pretty proud of myself at how much I've accomplished...

I finished sewing my first full hexagon flower, and sewed about 8 more individual hexagons, the rest of the fabric is cut and ready to be sewn as well.  Each tiny hexagon is 3/4 of an inch.  Very tiny!  My goal is to make one full "flower" a day and then I'll head to the fabric store and pick up the rest of the stuff needed for the blanket.  Hand sewing is sooo time consuming!  But will hopefully make it that much more special. (hopefully).

So that's my day.  Give me a day off and I'll forget about all the things I need to do and start yet another baby related project :)  11 weeks and 2 days to go!!  Let's hope I can finish :-D

Last week I had my ultrasound and glucose tests.  I am happy to report that the placenta has been pushed out the of way, and a scheduled c-section is now off the table *happy dance*.  Now I can go back to worrying about contractions and normal childbirth.  This baby is extremely painful every time she moves and if I get up too quickly, I'm plagued with stabbing stomach pains.  All of this unexpected stabbing pain makes me think about those contractions and how much worse they will probably be than with the other 2.   NOT looking forward to them coming.  In fact, childbirth would be so much easier without the hours of contractions that come before the push.  Ok, so yes, I'm whining!  But don't get me wrong, I am still completely thrilled that I don't currently have to think about having my stomach cut open and my insides pulled out to deliver my baby.  So incredibly thankful!  But still, I'm a wimp and I'm not looking forward to pain of any form :)

I'm still waiting to hear about my tests results for the glucose test.  It's been a week and I've heard nothing.  This is unusual.  Generally they post the results within a few days online or you get a phone call.  I've received neither.  I'm hoping this just means that the staff or lab is behind or being lazy.  Until I hear a definite I'm trying not to think about it too much....

I'm planning on trying a lot of new things with this baby.  Many of which have come a long way since my last go round 5 years ago.  Some of them being more "eco-friendly", hippy'ish" and others because I just want to try.  

• For example: glass bottles...  I've always wanted glass bottles.  When I had Ethylwolfe, I couldn't find them.  When I had Kennakat she wouldn't take to anything.  And so with this one, I'm really hoping to give glass bottles a go.  But then I wonder, how will I feel when the baby lobs it across the floor and it shatters into a million pieces?  Will I be so determined to stick with my plastic free ways?  
• Another example: washable diapers and wipes.  I shuttered at the thought when I had E. "how gross" I thought.  Then I had Kenna and it wasn't until I bought her potty seat that I discovered that they actually made cool looking washable diapers.  Not those terrible historic things of the past that looked terrible and leaked.  So I thought, if I have another baby, I'm gonna give it a go.... and now that the baby is coming, I have mixed emotions about my stand.  Watching youtube videos on how to care for them with graphic images of pooh that I swear I could smell through the computer screen was enough to think 'screw the landfills, there's no way I'm washing one of those!"  When I told the hubby my plan he said there is no way he would even change one of those, ever.   (we'll see about that.)  It all made me think more of what I wanted to accomplish -cheaper diaper bill, less waste, and I've now come to a compromise - washables at home, and disposable when we're out.  Mainly because I really don't want to carry rank smelling diapers in my diaper bag :)  
• Also I' want to use washable wipes while we're home.  So I thought about that and my current attempts to get better at knitting and crocheting, so I set off to make tons of little square baby wipes (washcloths).  I purchased some really soft 100% wool, machine washable yarn yesterday and so far I've got 4 made.  I'm thinking 20 will do the trick.  It's quite hilarious to see how I'm really not equipped or able to make things unison.  My "squares" -especially the crocheted ones- are hardly that at all.  I can't count my stitches worth anything.  But this is good practice for me.  perhaps by my 20th washcloth, I'll be much better....or perhaps I'll end up ordering them off etsy, or begging my friends that know how to knit and crochet better than myself....I know where you live people!  _Ok back to my original train of thought... after I started putting time and effort into these yesterday, I concluded that I really didn't want baby poo on my pretty washcloths, so I have decided that I'll use disposable wipes for the messy jobs and my cute -sweat and tears- handmade lopsiloo wipes for the pee.  They make wipe warmers for washable wipes, so that's on my 'have to have' list.  It will keep them damp and warm and ready to go.  
• Then there is the baby bedding issue.  You see, I always wanted a cute bedding set for the crib, but before E was born, a friend went out of her way to buy me a used set from a second hand store, she was really proud of how cheap she found it for.  I'm in no way against 2nd hand.  But the bedding was not what I had in mind at all and well, I hated it.  But I kept it, because well, it was a gift, it was thoughtful, and I'm cheap.  I can't very well buy a replacement when I already have one.  So for 2 babies, I kept the baby bedding that I hated and that was that.  7 years later, I still have that bedding that I hate, I am no longer friends with that person, and I say whatever to  frugality, I'm getting the baby bedding that `I` want!  I may actually have a theme *gasp*.  So I fell in love with a certain set years before getting pregnant with this one and I said, if I ever have another, this is what I'm getting, occasionally I checked to see if it was still there.  So guess what, while I was waiting to find out if I was having a girl, they sold out of it.  I've been looking on craigslist and ebay but haven't had much success.  Woe is me.  So now I'm stuck between searching for that and pondering over the idea of vintage baby room to be shared with her sister.  I'm thinking a nice vintage quilt and a granny stitch blanket.  But things aren't cheap if you dont have a granny to inherit them from, so I'm thinking maybe I can make my own quilt.  Forget the fact that I can hardly sew, I'll just dive head first into a nearly impossible task.  So I'm still pondering over that and how exactly one goes about making a quilt in a very easy way, that doesn't look really cheap and ugly.... I'm still searching on pinterest and youtube tutorials :)  But that idea would tie in nicely with the vintage theme that I already wanted to do for Kenna's room.  Anyone got any vintage "stuff" they want to throw my way?? :)
  

When I went in for my ultrasound, the lady started in 4D.  There were some really good poses from the baby, but she didn't snap the pictures soon enough to get them.  She did get this one, and I think it actually turned out well, even though I hate how creepy they look, I really liked this one.  I guess it helps that the baby is much bigger and more developed.  Doesn't that look like a hand next to her??  And she looks just like her siblings (go figure, it's like they are related or something!!)  When the lady (someone please tell me what they call the ultrasound person) did the measurements, she said she is almost 3 ibs already.  She asked how big my daughter was when she was born and I told her 9ib 3oz.  She said, 'well, it looks like this one might be even bigger!  Currently she's in the 75th percentile for weight....." GREAT!  Now I get to look forward to popping out another large baby!!  :)  But I'm glad she's growing and is nice and healthy -chunk and all :)

I'll be 28 weeks on Friday.  I can't believe how much time has flown by already!  In 12 weeks my world will be completely rocked!  It's exciting and daunting at the same time!  I feel like I'm expanding at an exponential rate, every day larger, every day I waddle more, every day I breathe a heavy sigh and chew on my Tums to keep this dreadful heartburn down.

And here are the projects my idle hands have been working on...

I know I seem to be lamenting about the loss of time a lot lately, but really it's the middle of November already!  It didn't hit me until my husband was talking about work today and that next week is Thanksgiving.  Really?!  Every store I go into has hints of the holiday season, and I'm still thinking it's summer with a few surprised chilly days creeping in.  I'm so thankful that I don't have to worry about holidays.  Man, I'd be so stressed out all the time if I did.  Seriously, how does anyone find money to buy so much stuff?!

Enough about that... I get to have an ultrasound tomorrow, along with that wonderful glucose test.  Ugh.  Well, yay for the ultrasound part, but boo for that nasty glucose stuff.  I'm so nervous.  I don't want to have gestational diabetes or placenta previa, mostly though I don't want to have a c-section.  I've never had stitches in my life, and I'm none too eager to get them now.  I'm a serious wimp when it comes to cutting someone open, and stitching them back up.  

Monday I took my little sis to the ASL meeting in Raleigh.  Wow what an experience!  I had no idea what to expect other than signing and big screen tv's.  I wasn't sure how the commenting or singing or prayer would work.  I felt like I was in a different land.  Can you imagine what my biggest fear was?  Hearing someone fart in all that silence and hoping that I wouldn't crack up laughing.  Thankfully nobody did, and I was able to maintain my appropriate maturity level :)  So we arrived 30 minutes early and were some of the first few there.  It was so quiet, it's kind of overwhelming at first.  It's like my ears didn't fit in, such a weird feeling.  The friends were very warm and inviting (of course) and my little sister interpreted for me.  She has taken ASL in school for many years.  I was quite impressed.  She's the only one in the family that can speak another language.  Surprisingly she found 5 friends from school that go to this hall, and 2 instructors.  She was very excited.  I'm so glad that I took her despite how exhausted I was.  I know you're dying to know what the meeting was like so I'll tell you...

The songs are interpreted on a screen that shows images and then people signing different parts to the song.  Even though you couldn't hear anything and I don't understand the language one bit, I was able to feel the emotions emitted from the songs and even know what song was being played.  I didn't pick up my song book as nobody else used one.  And yes, I did attempt to "sing" along by mimicking the signs given, it was crazy.  So then we come to the prayer.  The brother signs the prayer and everyone stares at him.  His eyes were closed but he still gave facial expressions and it's incredibly strange to not bow your head when praying.  Then the meeting started and imagine my surprise when they aren't studying anything we are!  Thankfully a sister that we met before the meeting came over and shared her tablet with us with all of the material for the meeting.    The reading of the paragraphs for the Bible study were recordings of brothers signing, and then it'd break in with clips of another brother signing the scriptures.  It was all really neat.  Currently they only have Matthew-Revelation and Genesis interpreted so their Bible reading was completely different, and the brother came up and mimicked a recording  of a brother signing the scriptures that he was watching.  The sister sitting with us said that they either do that, or they will take notes of the recording and sign those.  It was strange that nobody had books to look at.  They either had pieces of paper that they put notes on for the different parts or a tablet of some sort with the info on that.  The last 2 parts on the KM were the same, and the sister interpreted the comments for me.  Oh the comments!  I can't forget that part!  So there are cameras in the ceiling, you know the black glass domes that are in department stores.  And the person working the "sound station" would zoom in on the person giving the comment and they would pop up on the screen and sign their answer.  Some sat but the majority stood when they commented because somebody was blocking them in front.  I would be so embarrassed to stand up and give a comment on a big screen like that!

The craziest part of the experience was how exhausted my eyes were.  If you look away, you can't follow along, so my eyes were glued to the screen and my eyes really hurt afterwards.  I mentioned that to another sister after the meeting and she agreed that you go through that when you first start coming.  So I'm glad to know it wasn't just me being weird!  We really enjoyed ourselves and it was really nice meeting the friends!

We had our SA this past Saturday.  Man I really miss going to Salisbury!  We get so spoiled here in the states that when things aren't perfect, it's easy to get negative, especially when we have something nice and it gets take away from us.  The day started out really well, but after lunch I felt like I was dying.  It was a sauna in there, and my feet swelled up like balloons, I couldn't even put my foot in my shoe to get up and walk around, because it was so hot, I got really claustrophobic with too many people around and the lady in front of me kept putting her hair on me.  I couldn't breathe and nearly broke into flat out sobbing tears.  Then I thought that I was going to faint. Fortunately I was able to keep my composure, but I'm a crazy, uncomfortable, hormonal pregnant lady - I can't control my emotions like I'd like to.  Even the people sitting on the ice floor were fanning themselves, so   I slept with a bag of ice on my feet most of the night, thankfully after 24 hours, my feet finally cooled off and went back to normal size.  That was the first time my feet swelled during this pregnancy and hopefully it will be the last.  I have such a crazy internal heater, my body freaks out when it gets hot, always has, and of course it's craziness gets amplified when I'm pregnant.  Despite the personal discomfort that I was going through, the Spiritual Food was right on, and I really enjoyed the points brought out.  I enjoyed the interview with our new CO and his wife, we don't get to have them until December, so it was like a sneak preview of what we'll get in a few weeks!  And it was awesome seeing brother Ashe who was our CO many many years ago.