Week 24 - Nearly an Eggplant

Here I am at the end of week 24.  I think the pictures make me appear smaller than I actually am.  I have done very little to get ready for this baby.  We really have everything we need - though I guess I could use some newborn size diapers.  Without knowing the gender, I've really resisted buying any baby clothes.  I do want to find a going home outfit and hat, however.  Maybe that will help to satisfy a bit of my need to nest.  Fortunately, I don't think we'll be picking baby names in the hospital this time around.

Here I am between 20 and 25 weeks along two years ago when I was pregnant with Malachi.  Here I am on Valentine's day two years ago.  I would have been about 32 weeks pregnant then.

HEART THROB

I had one hour to make a Meijer run.  The Saturday before the Super Bowl turns out to be not great timing for this, however, there were plenty of nice Meijer people planted around the store to hand out smiles, hellos and loads of free samples today (all of which I declined despite the hearty appetite I've developed in the last couple months).

Since I was headed to Meijer, I figured I ought to buy the things Aldi doesn't typically carry such as dried ancho chiles and masa harina for the tamales I've been craving since New Years Eve with the Elgersmas.  Actually, I wonder if Aldi does carry masa harina?  I had a coupon for Tabasco green pepper sauce, but somehow I missed it when I scaled the condiment aisle.  Garden Fresh chips and salsa were buy one get one free.  The only salsa better than their garlic artichoke, is when its made fresh at home.  I recently discovered the most authentic enchilada sauce that comes in a can by La Victoria, so I had to pick up one of those, and one arms reach away was the last can of chopped green chilies, also hard to come by at Aldi.  On the bottom shelf were the dried corn husks for tamales.  Apparently, only some Costcos carries tamales in the winter, and Grandville isn't one of them so I've resolved to make my own.  I finally bought the Meijer Gold european sparkling limeade that appeals to me every time I see on the top shelf in the juice aisle.  It truly is a virgin Mojito in a bottle.  Add some mint leaves and raw sugar cane, you'd never know the difference!

Costco tamales

masa harina to make my own

Other than what might seem a craving for spicy latin american cuisine (not a new craving, only one pronounced by a growing baby), I was also ridiculously excited when I found two boxes of Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran pushed way to the back just peeking out from behind the Oatmeal Squares.  QCCB is my absolute favorite cereal.  I've looked and looked for it at Meijer before with no success.  It makes perfect sense though that I would find it when I wasn't looking for it.  And though even on sale, they're still a fortune, I bought blackberries.  If only I could afford to eat them everyday.

To top it all off, it's Valentines Day which means I am savoring some Brach's Conversation Hearts right now.  This one says, HEART THROB!

Week 22

22 weeks and 5 days - and love that I can still wear this low cut pair of non-maternity pants.  I have one pair of black dress pants with a high belly band that are comfortable.  My Liz Lange and Motherhood jeans are big and slouchy still, I'm constantly pulling them up when I wear them.

Here I am at 22 weeks when I was pregnant with Malachi.  I'm pretty sure I'm wearing my Motherhood jeans that I had bought on the way to the Living Desert in Palm Desert in this picture.  I think this was Thanksgiving 2008.

Week 21

This sweet baby is a little shy.  Here's baby at 21 weeks and 1 day gestation.

Here I am - 21 weeks and 1 day along.  These are my Motherhood khaki's.  I've rolled them, because they are still a bit too big and slouchy - though my regular jeans are so uncomfortable now, even with a Bella Band.

I was a little camera shy today too.  Must have been my really crazy hat hair!

A Muppet Christmas Carol

I realize it's not even Halloween, but this was all I could find to watch other than The Deadliest Catch.  The holidays are coming, and I have no shame in scoping out Christmas gifts at Costco already.  I also bought Halloween candy on that same trip, and am more than equally excited about Thanksgiving this year because my mom and dad are staying with us.  I've had my pilgrims out since the end of September, and pumpkins on the doorstep that already have traces of gnawing squirrels.  My Christmas wreath (that also happens to be appropriate for fall) has been hanging proudly on our front door since September too.  The holiday baking is in full effect, and might be narrowing my closet options a bit earlier than I had hoped.

I do still roll down my windows when driving and refuse to wear socks unless I risk losing toes (I nearly did this once in Beijing, much to my husband and parents chagrin).  I've tried to buy dressier boots that I can wear in the snow and in the office two winters in a row, but haven't found the perfect (and affordable) pair.  So, I wear my furry faux Uggs (typically with socks) then shed the socks and swap into heels or flats when I get to the office.  I nearly lost a shoe this way once.

Papaya Skirt

I wore my bright papaya skirt to the library today.  Ki wore his yellow IZOD onesie.

The windows are open, the neighbors are out, some of the trees have little red berries, others have spring yellow buds.

I have chicken thawing for a grilled corn tequila chicken.

This week I am borrowing
Freakonomics audio book - Because I haven't taken the time to read the real book yet
Hushaby Lullabies CD - For Ki
Bon Appetit magazine - For cooking ideas and because Melanie's boyfriend Nate subscribes
Country Home magazine - For decorating on a dime
Vanity Fair magazine - Grace Kelly
Organic Gardening magazine - Because I'd love to have a green thumb
Parents magazine- I' m apprehensive
Better Homes and Gardens magazine - Tiny budgets, big results
The Photography Bible book - For so many reasons
Digital Family Photography book - For Photoshop tips
Domino The book of Decorating - Because I miss Domino the magazine and I love decora
Handmade Home book - For repurposing ideas

I usually have to recheck out a book or two because I don't have time to "read" them all in one week.  I just find so much I want to borrow every week, it's hard for me to limit myself to just a few.

This Old House

KC and I go to the Grandville Libary every Tuesday.  I absolutely love being able to put Ki in the stroller and walk a few blocks to our local library.  I did register him for Baby Time but haven't been yet.  The first week I had a dentist appointment that I had already rescheduled twice and then last week, Ki had an awful cough.  This Tuesday, KC and I are planning to go to Ikea in Chicago to buy a bed for a guest room.  So we'll be missing Baby Time again.  Everything in it's right time.  Although we've missed Baby Time, we've still been to the library every Tuesday and I'm forever borrowing books about  home design, landscaping, furniture, organization, painting, artwork and framing, beading and crafting.

As a result of moving into a project house, I am constantly thinking of renovation projects.  Although I am a very project-driven type of person, I am easily overwhelmed by my own ambitions.  I am constantly reminding myself to take things in stride, start small, one-at-a-time.  In the meantime, I am always dreaming and sharing extravagent design ideas with KC that I usually preface by saying, "I know we may never do this, but, I had this great idea..."  My latest idea was to open the wall between the living room and kitchen from countertop height to the door head.  That way we could give our charming little 1948 house a little more openness.  This is just the beginning of my great ideas for home improvement.

The trick to having a project house is prioritizing projects.  When we bought the house, it was clear what our no. 1 priority was.  The bathroom.  Other than the fact that it didn't really have a shower, it was in desperate need of a makeover.  Priority no. 2.  Pull up carpet to expose beautiful pine wood floors and finish as needed.  We were fortunate we didn't really need to refinish the floors because they are in such good shape.  Priority no. 3.  Paint.  After renting for about 10 years, I was not living in a house of white walls

All for now.  Time for a little Project Runway.

And to leave you with a little gem I hope to add to our home decor someday:  This Lacquer Tray in Tumeric. I love the bigger 24" diameter.  It would be a great on our oversized tufted ottoman in the living room for setting drinks and snacks or whatever I happen to be reading.  Today - How to Paint Just About Anything by Better Homes and Gardens.