Nesting and Crafting

Well, there has been some major nesting going on in our apartment the last week. As a result, I'm pretty tired, but then, I can't remember the last time I didn't feel at least a little tired.

In case you hadn't heard (from Facebook), I was instructed to go to the hospital last Monday after having the same symptoms I had a month ago (cramping and contractions, etc. --no blood or anything though) to get checked up on. Thank goodness this time I didn't have to get a shot of morphine in the butt...that is a painful shot I am sorry to tell those of you who ever have to have one. It burns and makes your muscles sort of seize up. Anyway, that didn't happen and I didn't even have to be put on an IV--I tested negative for dehydration and the fetal fibronectin test (which determines likelihood of going into labor in the next few weeks), so they decided I must have a stomach flu and sent me home with Zofran to help with the nausea. Family members took Tenley and Dalin left for work, so I got several hours of sleep home alone and I felt surprisingly good when I woke up. We decided it must have been some 24 hour flu.

Doctor's office selfie

32 weeks

Then on Tuesday, Tenley and I were home all day and I guess the nesting really kicked in or something because I did a LOT of work in Tenley's room. Way more than I usually have the energy to do. I completely sorted her clothing and refolded the things she still fits into (which is quite a lot...she even has some 9 month clothing she fits in easily). Anything too small, I added to the baby girl clothes' containers with her 0-6 and 6-9 month clothing that we are keeping in case we have another girl (only favorites get kept, which is admittedly a lot). I also moved those clothes from bins to vacuum-seal bags since it's unlikely we'll be using them for a while--and especially not before we move.

Then I put away some of Tenley's old baby blankets (keeping her favorites out) and other baby girl items. I pulled the baby boy blankets forward on the shelves, and even pulled out the bassinet attachment for the pack 'n play and set it up most of the way. I also tossed the boyish set of sheets in the laundry bin to be freshly washed. Then, while I was at it, I went through Tenley's socks and headbands, sorting them (the best I could) into sizes to be put away. I finished the room by putting Tenley's toys and stuffed animals into bins (which I realize will only last a few days, but it looked nice for the present moment).

It was a big effort but I feel much better about everything and her room looks great!

Before...

After.

Our son will be at a serious disadvantage moving into his sister's room

Since we do not know exactly when or where we are moving, I have been gradually packing away our things, little by little so when the day arrives, there (hopefully) won't be quite so much to do! I am a little obsessed with the idea of getting out of Utah (even though I really do love my ward and friends around here--I just love the idea of not living at Wymount (and one day having a dishwasher and washer and dryer in our home) a lot, too...). Plus there's a 74% chance we'll be moving closer to the ocean (which I'm also a little obsessed with) and I cannot even wait for that. I am such a beach bum. I didn't even realize how much until I moved away for college.

Anyway, so apart from all the intense organization that is happening around here, I've also been doing a lot of Christmas preparations. I can't go into too much detail right now unfortunately because my moms read my blog and it's mainly their gifts I've been working on, but next week I'll show you if you are interested. If you are my friend on Facebook, you might have seen the painting I did for my dad. I blocked my mom from being able to see it so she'd be surprised, too.

The gift for my mother-in-law was my focus for today. It is looking really cute, I think! I wish I could talk about it more, but it's 100% homemade (I mean, besides materials obviously) and I have had so much fun working on it!

I really need to send out my Christmas gifts to New Hampshire (especially since the post office is crazy around this time--at least based on my experience in previous years) like tomorrow so they will make it in time. That means that tonight (or tomorrow morning) I've got to get a gift for my Nana worked out. I have been planning it mentally for a while and it shouldn't take too long to paint but it's a matter of finding the time between playing with/picking up after Miss Tenley.

Other random things:

Target was a madhouse today. It was literally more busy than it was on Thanksgiving night when Dalin and I got Tenley's new car seat. There were some sales, but nothing out of the ordinary. I guess everyone just realized over the weekend that Christmas is fast approaching!

I went to Costco with Tenley and we seriously just ate tons of samples and took our sweet time (though that part was not optional for me--I'm incredibly slow. I blame being 122 lbs and feeling like a penguin as I waddle around pushing the monstrous Costco carts). Then when we got home, two wonderful guys in my ward helped me carry the groceries in the apartment. I was so grateful for them. I seriously have strained myself way too much lately and I know it's not good. Lifting Tenley is seriously workout enough for a small person like me (well, height-wise I'm small anyway). I am a little concerned by my tendency to overdo things. It's hard though when you're used to being capable of certain things to relinquish those jobs and let other people help you! I like to do things myself but I know I need to be careful because lifting too much can lead to placental abruption (detachment) which is seriously scary and I've already had enough cramping and little scares this pregnancy.

Tenley opened her Christmas gifts which I had wrapped and in a bag ready to go for when we leave for Idaho next week. I had them somewhat out of her reach (on the upper part of the couch) but she still got them while I was working on a Christmas gift in another room. I was kind of mad (and bummed because she saw them even though she's one and probably has already forgotten) but she had a big fat smile on her face so I didn't stay mad long. I did move the presents to a better hiding place though. (I plan on just re-wrapping them in Idaho in case it happens again).

As far as the toddler bed goes (since a few people have asked), it's great! Tenley is very used to her bed thankfully and she stays in it most of the night. Some nights she still gets up around 3 or 5 in the morning and comes to the gate we put up to separate her from our room saying, "Mama" but I just tell her I love her and to go back to bed and lay down and she does, whining all the way (I can always hear her flop back down on her bed). She's pretty good though. When she gets up around 6am, I let her come in our bed for the next 2-3 hours and she gets a bottle of milk (if I don't give her milk, she just says, "Mom! Mo'? Mo'?" ("more") a million times).

Little chubby girl on her bed (she only looks chubby when she's sitting down though;)

On the other hand, I am sleeping like crap the last week and a half. My body is just so dang heavy and my back kills me at night as I suffocate under the weight of my belly. So sleeping sucks, even with my zillions of pillows surrounding me, but I suspect that Dalin may or may not have gotten me a full body pillow for Christmas which is literally the only thing I can think of that I want (besides to go to San Diego or somewhere warm;). I didn't ask for anything for Christmas because I don't really want anything (or need it) other than to do things as a family. And plus I would rather save money (yeah, I'm boring, but we're having a baby and those guys cost a lot!).

My little snuggler.

My Florida cousins Brandon and Nathan (and their parents!) are here in Utah! We visited them at their place in Park City yesterday and had a wonderful time catching up with them. We ate haystacks (SO good) for dinner, played Boggle, and did lots of talking. I was just so happy to be around family! I've missed them so much! We're hoping to see more of them (in between all their skiing!) this week before I sneak back with them to they return to Florida.

Blurry, but I had to show how cute Tenley was reading with Mary. She loves her new pop-up book!

Well this is a ridiculously long post, but hopefully it makes up for my lack of writing recently. Also, someone suggested that I write a post about gift ideas for one-year olds so hopefully I can do that in the next few days and someone else suggested I write more posts on pregnancy so that'll probably happen, too.

Lots of love to all of you!

P.S. I'm 32 1/2 weeks! 7 weeks left! What?!?