netto crib and changing station

seen on odeedoh
changing station, $150
crib, $199

that's pretty darn cheap, considering they cost around $1275. slight seconds, but at that price, i wouldn't care if the finish were slightly imperfect.
still, nothing beats a $50 ikea gulliver crib and a $15 can of dark grey non-toxic paint.

the skirt that saved my pregnancy

marimekko top
rebecca taylor cardigan
a.p.c. skirt
m.p. wool tights

this a.p.c. skirt is pretty much the only thing i can wear without throwing a hissy fit. remember those paige maternity jeans that i 'had' to have? well, they're still too big on me. at 35 weeks with 2 weeks til i'm full-term (and 2-6 weeks until the kicker makes his appearance), it is unlikely that i'm going to 'grow' into them any time soon.

but the skirt? the skirt is amazing. the best thing about it is that i'll be able to wear it next winter, too. i might make an emergency run to jcrew to pick up a few extra long tanktops in the next week or so, but otherwise, i'm all set.

midwife appointment update for anyone who's interested:
he's measuring exactly right and is head down (although flailing his little rump from side to side).
'where's the head?' one midwife asked.
'it's down here.....Deep.' the other one replied as she dug her hands into my lower abdomen.
'oh yes, now i can feel it.'
'where? where?' i asked as i tried to feel for his head. alas, i couldn't find a thing.

i'm also obsessed with this site about fetal positioning. it has completely changed the way i sit while at the computer.

shopping for someone else for once in my life

makie wool fleece mitts and booties. $10 each, and they came in a lovely floral fabric bag. they will look perfect with his makie pixie pants.

egg by Susan Lazar cotton coveralls ($33) and Oeuf alpaca wool necktie ($25) at auto.

the sales have been really good, but i've been trying to practice a little self-control. honestly, i have too much clothing, and i'm in such a nutty phase of my life that i can't trust myself to buy something that i'll want to wear five months from now.

but, i couldn't resist picking up a few more things to outfit this winter baby.

makie

makie sleeveless onesie, $58

there are piles of heavy wet snow outside, but i'm already thinking about summer. if you have a sewing machine, i can't imagine it would be too difficult to make this little onesie. i really like clothing that isn't too close-fitting, and i can't imagine anything cuter than chubby little arms and thighs in this comfy outift.

fuzzy math

well, remember that lovely embroidered k studio crib bedding? i stupidly thought that Wildflower Organics was selling the coverlet for $180 and the bumper for $60 extra. wrong.

it's $180 for the coverlet and $250 for the bumper. Oh Well.

so now i've instructed Matthew to buy this very streamlined and boring bumper when he goes to Ikea during his week-long break between semesters. it isn't organic, but oh well, it's $13. i don't think i have it in me to embroider anything, so i thought i would try my hand at fabric printing.

lena's book, Printing By Hand, might be helpful since i've never done this before.

plus ça change...

week 10

week 33

i really really miss jogging.

crib bedding

oh i love k studio so much. the stitched hand drawings of people, animals, and houses suit our style perfectly. they also do crib coverlets and bumpers. i'm still on the fence about whether bumpers are safe. in terms of use-value, they aren't really worth the extra money, but they definitely help to dress up a less than inspired crib like ours.

i am trying to justify the coverlet as a keepsake. but if i were truly clever, i would hand-embroider a quilt in my free time.

baby list 2009 update:
we just ordered a car seat and safety gate.
next up: paint the crib and order a fridge. ours worked for the past 3 years, but we lived on take-out and soymilk. i'm guessing that strategy won't work with a baby in the house.

not quite there yet

whenever i see a baby photo of me, i feel like that little person is a complete stranger. i don't recognize any facial features or expressions. in this photo i am the spitting image of my father's sisters. by age 5, my looks began to change. it's mostly the eyes, i think.


we returned from paris on thursday evening, by sunday we had purchased an ikea gulliver crib and mattress through craigslist. a part of me thinks it's unsanitary to have a used mattress, but it looks and smells clean. not sure what to do about that. the crib needs a good scrub, and then we're going to paint it a dark graphite. non-toxic paint is pricey! makes me wonder what i've been putting on my walls all these years.

considering i only have 4-7 weeks left (4 weeks to full-term 37 weeks), we are really really behind. there are lists and schedules of when you should do this or that during your pregnancy, and i have been very delinquent.

to-do list:
childbirth class
breastfeeding group
car seat (leaning towards the Britax Roundabout)
stroller (Baby Jogger City Mini (cheaper, less stylish, lighter) or Mountain Buggy Swift)
crib sheets and protective pads
grooming kit (nail clippers and thermometer)
refrigerator (ours is so tiny, even i'm taller than it)
extra tall safety gate
wall shelves for the 100 'new' book purchases sitting on our dining table
towels and washcloths
diapers in newborn and small sizes
bibs and rags
bottles and brushes
creams, soaps, and oils
keep exercising (i woke up with charley horses in both legs this morning. i stopped jogging last saturday because my right foot is experiencing numbness and tingling pain, which is only made worse by pounding the pavement)
wash baby clothes and things
re-arrange furniture to accommodate crib
apply for free infant health insurance (i love Massachusetts)
grade exams
write two chapters
remind my 'birth partner' to read 'The Birth Partner'
find more money under the couch
contest two unfair parking tickets
have daily panic attacks about the dissertation, lack of funding, poor spending habits, and imminent arrival of infant.