Life By The Nines

Hello Friendlies,

I am returning from baby hiatus after 9 months of hands on motherhood and I feel like I have finally hit my stride, for now. They say it takes 9 months to grow a baby so give yourself 9 months to adjust...okay maybe only I say that but it's true.
Since we last met I have retired from formal employment for the continuously whirling carousel of childrearing. I am still navigating the precarious balance of baby/husband/home/self maintenance that makes up my new job and as a typically(read: previously) organized, type A personality I have had to come to terms with the fact that I can't do everything. But that's never stopped me from trying.
With that on my mind I have decided to refocus this blog from pregnancy (y'know since i'm not anymore and that would be boring) to more of a creative outlet where i can devote a little time to my sanity, without which nothing else would get done.

So I invite you to follow along as I share my experiences in cooking and babying and crafting and sewing and ... probably some other stuff, as a full time mom and part time homemaker.


And to be fair to the original intent of this blog here is a quick little catch up on the Pineapple Squiggs:

Welcome Baby Squiggs!

Actually, it's: Welcome Miriam Patience!

Our squiggly girl finally arrived at 2:36 a.m. on Wednesday July 2nd at 7lbs 9oz and 19" long.

She didn't want to come on her own and was drinking up all her amniotic fluid, so after all the natural tricks we could think of a round of Pitocin was ordered and she made her entrance just a few hours later.
We both came through in good shape considering how much work it is getting born and at 10 seconds old she was calm, alert and a champion nurser.

Squiggs' official name has been an area of mystery and intrigue basically since we discovered she was a 'she'.
A few weeks ago 'Miriam' reappeared on the active name list and quickly rose to first place, but then our favorite middle name choice suddenly seemed inadequate next to it. We had a few back up middle names we were kicking around but nothing fit quite right. 
After spending 36 hours in the Hotel California (read: hospital birthing center), with so little progress i was sure we would have to start forwarding our mail, Jamey turned to me during one of our many laps up and down the hallway and said "how do you feel about Patience?" "It's perfect"

Miriam's Week of Firsts

First Check Up - 2 Hours Old

First Nap with Dad - 2 Days Old

First Dress Up & First Day Home - 3 Days Old

First Outing to the Pediatrician - 4 Days Old

First Bath Time (Not enjoying it) - 4 Days Old

After First Bath (Feeling a little better about it)

39 Weeks - The Official Countdown Post

For the last six weeks I have been working, nesting, cleaning, sorting, shopping and peeing a lot, so I haven't had much time to update. I figured now that i have a little extra time i should go ahead and take care of one big post since it will probably be the last one before we announce Baby Squiggs' debut!

Friday the 13th was my official last day at work, i thought it seemed like a bad omen but then i ended up working 30 minutes late so everything was totally normal.  I had to take a picture because i don't remember my desk ever being this clean.

An empty desk is...weird.

Today we finished our to-do list with the last few items packed in our 'Go Bags', the carseat bases in both cars and the co-sleeper all made up.

Ready to go.

The nursery is also fully stocked and ready:

Changin' Station

Feeding Station

Squiggs has also been doing a lot of getting ready in the last six weeks, mostly by growing much bigger and even kickier.

39 Weeks Oh Snap!

The next time we update here will probably be with an official name (we have a favorite but I don't want to jinx it) and an official arrival announcement!

33 Weeks

So, Life Amirite?

Anyway, our goal for April of getting the apartment downsized/organized was pretty successful!
I even hit a good sale at the grocery store and whipped up 6 crockpot freezer meals as a test run.


Yum.

If only I had a bigger freezer.

Next, May is all about Baby Stuff and even before the shower this weekend we are already off to a good start thanks to some generous friends and the Mom-In-Law/Queen-Of-Craigslist.
I can't wait to get Squiggs' tiny wardrobe set up and show off all the adorable baby clothes we have already been given!

Just s few nursery items from the haul

And speaking of Squiggs, here she is in all of her squiggly 33 week glory:

 

33 Weeks

 

3rd Trimester

Sunday marked the official start of our third trimester and oh boy did those symptoms hit me all at once.
Exhausted, achy, restless legs, weird stretching feelings in my stomach muscles. Fun Stuff.

I also nearly had a panic attack this weekend when i thought i had lost our ultrasound pictures. When i finally gave up looking and decided to just get reprints it dawned on me that i had filed them with our vital records because pregnancy brain said that would be the most logical place and then immediately forgot about it.

It has never been more apparent that we are now in the countdown to baby-time, so it has helped me to set some goals.
The month of April is the get the entire apartment de-cluttered, organized and ready for baby stuff.
May is for getting baby stuff prepped and organized and June is for getting us prepped and organized.
Nesting is a great compulsion for that, keeping up the energy to actually get it done is the trick.

So here's a bump picture from a couple weeks ago:

26 Weeks 2 Days

And today:

28 Weeks 3 Days

Maternity Clothes

Holy Crap this month got away from me...

So i had a post all ready from about 3 weeks ago so i am just going ahead with a version of that for now and doing a real 6 month update next:

March 2nd - 24 Weeks

With just under 4 months to go Baby Squiggs is popping out of 90% of my pre-pregnancy clothes, and all my P.P. jeans are officially retired. The hair band through the buttonhole trick got me through the first 4 months or so, after that it was just misery for both of us.

And that friends is why I am singing the praises of Motherhood Maternity and their wonderful selection of maternity pants. Not only do they carry several styles in ‘Long’ but their definition of ‘Long’ is actually a functional 34” or 34.5” inseam.

Along with their private label brand they also carry the Jessica Simpson Maternity line which is straight up adorbs. The JS skinny jeans (in 34.5” inseam) are the best thing I have ever worn. Literally a perfect fit, I haven’t been able to find regular skinny jeans that fit this well ever. I am going to be heartbroken when I can’t wear them anymore…in fact I might wear them forever.

In Love

Also on my list of maternity must-haves were a couple pairs of good flat shoes. After online shopping/obsessing for an entire evening I decided to spring for a pair of ‘laceless’ converse low-tops, which i practically had to move mountains to get but they were worth the wait because they are perfect. Cute, comfortable and they have super practical hidden elastic in the top.

Yes...

While out on a Best Friends Date with Kate, I was also able to check off some other items on my shopping list including a gorgeous maxi dress, the first of many maternity t-shirts, and some cute printed canvas loafers. All in all a pretty good set of staples to hopefully get me and Squiggs through the rest of our growth spurts. 

...yes...

...also yes