A busy weekend.

Thank you for all the sweet advice, friends. I decided to hold back on some of the things on my weekend to-do list and just relax, working on the things I had the energy and time to do without stretching myself too thin.



I got done quite a bit of sewing, finishing two new projects.



We worked in the nursery a bit, and I was so excited to come home and find that the little one's bedding was waiting for me on the front porch.





It's so pretty, I step into her room a thousand times a day to see how everything is starting to come together. I hope she likes it.
Catherine sent along this sweet little sleep sack, and I can't wait to see her in it.



Isn't that precious? All these prints have me dreaming of our first trip to the beach.
Hopefully this Summer we can take a road trip to stick her little toes in the sand and let her feel the ocean breeze on her new skin.



We took a peek at her on the ultrasound, to make sure she was growing alright. She weighs 5 pounds, 12 ounces, and is in the 41st percentile in size. I can't believe there is an almost-6 pound baby inside of me.



{excuse the wild hair, please}

The last few days, every one has been commenting on "the drop," and how she will be a March baby instead of being here on her April 1st due date. Either way, in 30 days or less, we will have a baby. I am still trying to fully grasp the thought of that, as I'm trying to figure out these last few details to get everything in order before she's here.



We got this for her, this weekend. It's been one of the most exciting things we've bought. It gives me a little peek into the moments we can't wait to share with our little adventurer. Honestly, the "you'll never sleep," "get ready to never have a free moment" advice starts to get a bit old. It's not that I am romanticizing life how I imagine it will be, it's just that we're choosing to focus on our hiking trips, Summer concerts in the park, and quite moments as a new family of 3. I understand there will be poopy diapers and sleepless nights, but that's only a small part of the wonderful changes that are coming.



We went on a few long walks, and a bike ride to enjoy this warm, Spring weather. Probably my last bike ride, since my midwife asked that I please not waddle around on a bicycle, almost 9 months pregnant, anymore.



This weekend I also spent a few hours taking photos and getting things ready for the shop. I decided to take it offline for a couple more weeks, and let go of the stress of trying to get it up by the first of this month. It will be ready when it's ready.



Which gives me more time to stare at these two photos for an hour to decide which angle I like better.



This weekend we also saw family, ate lots of yummy Thai food and too much ice cream, ran errands, and relaxed. Maybe I didn't finish everything on my list. But I did get in some extra things like a few stolen hours to walk a few miles with my husband, pick blooming branches off the Bradford Pears, and just relax. It was just the weekend I needed.

...

Thank you to every one that has linked this blog in the last month. In February, we had 109,370 visits. Out of those, 40,454 of you were new. So hello, new friends.


A few FAQ's, recently:

Will you be keeping Petey when your baby bird arrives?

Of course! I don't think we'll ever get rid of this car. Michael is convinced that Elements are the VW bus of our generation, and he wants to always keep him around. Just this year they've decided to stop production on them, I'm guessing because of low sales... not many people want to be seen driving a microwave on wheels. But we love him. Right now we're trying to decide if we want to buy another vehicle. We had planned on getting a Subaru (yes, I am going to be the wagon-driving Mom) when we had a baby, but I don't want to have another car payment, so we're just going back and forth on it. Maybe someday soon.


Is it already warm in Oklahoma?

YES! I had to give in and shave my legs :) We always end up with another freeze after March hits, but for the most part, it has been in the 60's-upper 70's for the last couple weeks. Not to mention I'm a bit warmer than usual, so I am living in my dresses and skirts, sandals and flip-flops right now. I can not wait to start digging in my garden. I am going to wait another 2 weeks so I don't send myself into early labor, but after March 23rd (my last day at work) it's fair game and the shovel is coming out. I have a lot of work to do in the garden, this year. Some friends of ours got us one of these as a gift (amazing), and I can not wait to stick the baby in it, turn on some music in the backyard, and work away these 8 weeks that I have off work. I am daydreaming of all the beautiful things that will grow in our yard, this year :)


Where is your cream shirt from? Is it maternity?

In reference to the shirt I'm wearing in this post.
I bought it a second-hand store for $5 a couple years ago. One of those stores like Buffalo Exchange where you sell back clothing. I died when I saw it, it's probably one of my favorite shirts. I think I might have gasped when I saw it on the rack, wondering why anyone would get rid of it. It is such a thin, soft fabric and it's so comfortable.
No, it's not maternity, I'm still hanging on to my normal clothes for as long as I can! Being 5'2 helps, because everything was so long on me before that all my normal tops still cover my big belly.


Did you make the bunting in the nursery?

Yes, I made it as soon as I found out we were having a little girl. You can see it hanging on a chair in this post.
I enjoy making bunting, entirely too much. Putting the fabrics together is like Christmas morning, for me. The first string of it I made was for my sister when she found out she was having a boy.



Here is a picture of it hanging on her food table at the baby shower I held for her in December 2009. There are a couple Arts Festivals I'd like to do this Summer, and I think I'm going to make a few strands to take with me.
They can be pretty simple, depending on how much work you'd like to put into them. I just threw together a pattern and went off of that.


Where did you get the bunny in the nursery?

My Mom used to make and sell those when I was a little girl. She always had craft businesses going on, on the side. Making bows, tshirts, clothing, bunnies, wreaths, etc. It's no wonder I turned out the same way.
The one in her nursery was the one she made me when I was a little one. I am going to pass it on to baby girl, and hopefully it will stay in the family for a long time.


Do you have any tips/advice for a novice camper like myself?

Here is a checklist I made for a camping trip we went on this Summer (the one I came home knocked up, from). It was a primitive camp - no bathrooms, fire rings, tables, or designated sites. We just drove up and set up camp. If you're just starting out you might not like that a whole lot....digging a hole to poop in isn't exactly most peoples idea of a good time. But camping is such an amazing experience and wonderful way to escape from your daily routine, center, and have time to reflect on yourself and your life. Have fun!


How's Michael doing? Is he feeling nervous and excited like you?

Men are so much more disconnected from pregnancy than we are. We're the ones growing this little thing so it is on our minds 24 hours a day. When my belly started to grow, everything became more real to him, but I think that moment of falling into being a Dad comes the second they see their baby born. For now, he mostly just feels sorry for me, rubs my feet every night, and helps me roll off the couch. Everything else will come for him when he's holding her in his arms. And changing her disgusting diapers :)


Where is the Emerson print from in her nursery?

I bought all her prints off of Etsy a couple months ago. Two of them I got from an artist called The Wheatfield.
I am a big, big fan of Katie's. If you've never visited her website, please do.

She grew up on a farm in the countryside, so her work is absolutely dripping with all the same inspiration I find in our Oklahoma prairies. I tend to really love the work of artists who have similar inspiration to work with.


Where did you get all the gorgeous blankets for your fort?

The two main tapestries I bought at an Estate Sale last Spring for $4 a piece. The couple had traveled the world, and I ended up spending a whopping $200 at that sale. I have NEVER in my life spent that much at a garage sale! But it was one of the most amazing sales I have ever been to, and a friend of mine who is also an avid thrifter/garage saler and I STILL talk about that sale to this day.
A professor and his wife, they traveled the world scuba diving, collecting books, maps, old trunks, textiles, and trinkets from all over the world. Our house is filled with their treasures. It's silly, but everything I look at that belonged to them is a huge inspiration for me to keep looking for new adventures, every day. I have never seen a house filled with more life and memories, than this one.


You mentioned your site or things you make to sell...Is that public? If so where can we see your creations?

So-so :) I have been talking about it a bit more here and there. I started it last Spring and did a few Arts Festivals to get my foot in the door. My shop is:

b a r k and l e a v e s . com

It's half-way online right now, but my dream is to have a boutique, so I don't want to tie myself down too much to an online store. For now it can only be online, until Michael is finishing school and we are in a better financial situation. I don't link it much here because I feel like I'm advertising unnecessarily when my blog is more personal and not business. But if any of you are interested, there it is. And here is an interview I did on Corey's blog in January about starting up my shop.