On the Verge...

They say that Braxton Hicks contractions are not a sign that labor will be happening any time soon... they are just annoying. The instructions I've received are something like: "If you have more than 5 irregular, painless contractions in one hour, just drink a bunch of water and lie down to make them stop." So I figured that I really needed to follow those instructions when I started having about 20 in an hour at around 4pm yesterday. When I laid down, they definitely decreased. But all said, I had a total of at least 40 false contractions last night. And I've had about 15 this morning. Not painful, just annoying. Mainly because it means I'm just supposed to lie around when there are a bunch of things that I want to do and places I need to go. Yuck. Well, here's the latest picture... We really are on the verge of this Babram!!!

I have given up television for a week. Yes, it's true. I know, I know... Let me explain. Ever since I stopped teaching and my days have lacked schedule, responsibility, accountability, or deadlines, I have filled the boredom and the silence in my house with the sounds of television. This started in June. It's been almost 5 months and my list of favorite, mindless, silence and boredom remedies has come to include the following: -Law and Order (Any and all of them) -Bones -House -Mystery Diagnosis -Top Chef -Dr. G: Medical Examiner -Project Runway I never really strayed from this small, yet extremely broad, television path. On any given day you can find at least one of these shows and usually in a marathon format... where channel changing is kept to a minimum (along with most other forms of movement). Some days I would be crocheting baby hats or going back and forth from the sewing room or writing thank yous or being generally productive at the same time. However, those da...

Quinn and I met our new doctor yesterday. He is absurdly nice. Like: "Are you for real" nice. But all of my friends who go to him say that he really is just that wonderful. I'm not used to it, I guess. My previous doctor was a great guy and he was knowledgeable, but he wasn't overly... attentive.. might be the best word. So, anyway, this new doctor is great and, because it was our first visit with him, he AND his nurse did an ultrasound! We got to see the Babram after 12 long weeks with only abdominal boxing action as proof that there really was a baby in there. As usual, he provided us with really unphotogenic pictures, so here's the actual photo... And here's the photo with some help... He kinda looks like an alien with those deep eye sockets. But we were assured that it's just the ultrasound and all babies look like aliens in their pictures. He is also head down... which is great for delivery preparation, but not for picture taking....

So, at 26ish weeks, I got a letter from my OB saying that he was going to be starting his own practice and only doing gynecology. He is moving offices mid-October and would see his OB patients through the end of the year, but then he would be done. I could have stayed with him, but I kind of wanted a doctor who actually wanted to deliver my baby and not one that was biding his time until he could be done delivering babies forever. My 32 week appointment is with a doctor that all my friends have gone to for years and absolutely love. I'm glad to be switching, but I'm just hoping that Abram waits long enough that we are able to have a few meetings before D-Day. Anyway, this was really just an excuse to post a new picture (I've had some requests). So here you are.

It sounds really absurd when I say it out loud, but Quinn and I have had a talk or two about names we like, other than Abram. Not like we are thinking about naming this one something different, but, like, we are naming our next child before this one has even had his first gulp of oxygen. We already know what we would name a girl. That's been decided since we started dating. Weird. But true. So here's the backstory, so you don't think we're crazy: I have two of the most amazing grandmothers in the history of the world. They are the most incredibly Godly women I've ever met. My parents even say that they think the reason we turned out so well is by God's grace through my grandmothers' constant prayers. So, of course, I have always been sentimental about my grandmothers and wanted nothing more than to name a child after one or both of them. But therein lies the rub. (Sorry,Grammy), but my grandmothers have the most Southern sounding, interesting names ...

In my last post, I included a picture of the "banner" for my etsy shop. It's what goes at the top of my etsy page and is the closest thing to a logo I really have. My friend, who is a very saavy business man at the ripe 'ol age of 27, judiciously commented on my banner by saying: " it looks like it says Jew Smith". Huh. I never thought about it, but I guess if even a few people think that it looks like something other than the name of my business, then it's probably not a good font, right? So I chose a different font. Hopefully this is better... although, it's not quite as whimsical as the other one, which is why I liked it so much. Let me know if you have an opinion. I would appreciate all the help I can get. And thanks, Adam.

After more than six years of people constantly telling me: "You should sell these!" after I give them handmade gifts, I have finally made the first step toward actively pursuing that goal. It wasn't until, maybe, two years ago that I found out about Etsy. If you don't know about Etsy (most of you probably do), it is an ebay-like site for all things handcrafted and vintage. Sellers establish their own "shop" and pay small fees to list items that are handmade, vintage, or supplies to make handcrafted items. I have been an Etsy addict for at least a year now, buying everything from sewing and crocheting patterns to vintage toys and clothes. But never selling. Until now... I type this all dramatically, but I haven't actually sold anything yet. I've just listed a few things that I've been meaning to for quite some time now. I guess that's why I'm "on the verge" of starting a business and not actually starting a business....