sara without an h

smiles.

i had to post another video today because i finally caught some of her sweet smiles on camera. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KgvcRa1ACA] today has been a hectic one. we are in the process of switching out our bedroom so sylvie can have her own room. i know it's a little john and yoko to have a bed in the living room, but this is our best option at the moment. sylvie is going to bed earlier and earlier these days (her bedtime went from 11 to 9 in the span of a week), and neither travis nor i care to be confined to our bedroom at that hour. this way wiggle worm gets her own space and so do we. i think it'll work out well! right now she's asleep in her crib and we're working on getting our bed put back together. wish us luck!

baby gear.

here is a list of the gear we've gotten for sylvie and why we chose it. NURSERY FURNITURE crib: AP industries lollipop crib in white why? we loved the clean, classic lines of this crib. it is also extremely sturdy and simple, exactly our style. changing table: south shore changing table in pure white why? this piece is equal parts changing table and dresser, making it very practical for our small space. the available wall for this piece is only 41 inches wide, and this table fits perfectly. we got it in white to match the crib. bookcases: ikea expedit series 8 cubby and 4 cubby in white why? they hold a lot for their size, are affordably priced, and we just really loved the way they look. BABY GEAR travel system: safety first aerolite fx in "pegasus" why? we knew we wanted a travel system to keep things as compact and uncomplicated as possible. this one is well reviewed, reasonably priced (compared to brands like chicco), folds down to a small size with one hand, and is gender neutral in color scheme. it is also much more padded than any of the other systems in the same price range. the stroller goes up to 50 pounds and the car seat to 22. secondary car seat: britax marathon why? this seat came VERY highly recommended from a few different people. it has a weight range of 4-65 pounds and can face both rear and front. she will be able to use this seat after she out grows the travel system and up until it's time to put her in a booster. it is very highly rated in safety and well reviewed. baby carriers: moby wrap and baby bjorn why? my husband and i are really into the idea of baby wearing, but we both wanted different things out of a carrier. i chose the moby wrap for me because of its versatility and the fact that i could use it from birth. it came very highly recommended to me from various sources. i have also been told that it puts little strain on the back and shoulders. he chose the baby bjorn for its ease of use and more masculine appearance. he also liked that you can wear it in the front or backpack style. pack 'n play: graco pack 'n play in townsend why? we are planning to use the pack 'n play both for travel and as a bedside bassinet for a couple of months after her birth. i love that it has a built-in changer, wipe dispenser and plenty of storage for extra diapers. it also has a canopy, which makes napping easier in almost any location. we also like the gender neutral color scheme, as we will use it with future children. infant seat/bouncer: first years kickin' coaster why? it is both a stationary vibrating infant seat and a baby exerciser. i liked that she would have something to do and get some exercise as opposed to just sitting there in a regular seat or swing. it helps promote coordination and leg strength and teach cause and effect. highchair: blue bumbo with play tray why? we don't have the room in this apartment for a full size highchair. in addition, we will be moving when she is around 10 months old, only 4 months into purees. she will be able to use this for various activities outside of feeding time. plus, how cute do chubby baby thighs look sticking out of one of these?! NURSING/FEEDING GEAR breast pump: medela pump in style why? i knew i wanted a pump that will do both sides at once. unfortunately, i will probably have to introduce bottle feeding at a young age. i have to get my gallbladder out soon after sylvie's birth, which will require an overnight stay in the hospital and a couple of days of painkillers. i want to have a store of pumped milk handy before this happens. beyond just that, travis really wants to help with the feedings. i plan to feed her directly as much as i can, but life doesn't always respect your plans. i wanted a good, fast pump so that i can be prepared for those times when breast feeding will not be possible. i have also been told that this pump will last through multiple children. nursing support pillow: boppy why? this pillow can be used so many different ways. sylvie can use it while nursing, for tummy time, and (eventually) as a little seat. it seems to be a purchase that will really grow with her. bottles: tommee tippee why? these bottles are BPA free and are specially designed to lessen nipple confusion and make the transition between breast and bottle (and back) easier. the nipple is wider and more rounded so babies can latch onto these much like they would onto a breast. i think that about covers the basic stuff we have for sylvie! i didn't include her cloth diapering supplies in this list. we have bought a few different brands and i would like to make an expanded post on that after her birth. i want to figure out which brands/kinds work for her and us before i post on it! i just wanted to put in my two cents on all the other stuff. what gear do you swear by?

earthquake! (not really.)

i woke up around 3 o'clock this morning thinking i was in the middle of an earthquake. i was tired, disoriented, and my whole body was vibrating and shaking. it turns out it was just sylvie doing a very spastic dance in my belly! it was bizarre to say the least. i have a prenatal message booked for tomorrow afternoon. i am beyond excited. travis has been telling me to get one for a while, but i wanted to wait until i got really pregnant. well guess what, folks? i am really pregnant! i'll be 34 weeks tomorrow, which means only 3 more weeks until sylvie is full term and 6 more until her due date. speaking of that due date, i'm fairly convinced she will make her debut a little early. it may just be wishful thinking, but i have had a few dreams that she will be born on august 24th. the nurse who taught our childbirth class said she sees a spike in births during a full moon. travis' grandfather, an OB-GYN, said the same thing. i just found out that august's full moon is on the 24th. coincidence? maybe. then again, maybe not. only time will tell. as long as she's healthy i could care less whether she comes early, on time or late. however, i would prefer if she didn't hang out in there long enough to be induced. my midwife and i will try every natural method of induction first (herbs, essential oils, walking, etc.), but she won't wait longer than two weeks past due to start medical interventions. i was over two weeks late and travis was 6 days early. baby girl, this would be a good time to start taking after your daddy! in fact, just go ahead and take after your daddy. he's patient, kind, and can sleep anywhere and through anything. i, on the other hand, am irritable and an extremely light sleeper. eh, who am i kidding? you will be perfect no matter what. ******** we had a wonderful visit with travis' parents. they were kind enough to get us sylvie's pack-n-play (which will also be her bassinet), a boppy pillow, and some other adorable baby items. we had a great time with them and i can't wait to see them again after the birth. later on this week my parents are coming in for a visit, too! my mom got us an elective 4D ultrasound for a a first mother and father's day present. travis and i are beyond excited to see our little girl again on thursday! my practice doesn't perform a third trimester ultrasound unless complications arise. this means that we have only seen sylvie twice, the last time being 15 weeks ago. i hope we get a good look at her chubby little face! the ultrasound tech told me that 34 weeks is the perfect time for facial picture. she won't be super duper squished yet, but she'll have a fair amount of baby fat on those cheeks. i really can't wait! now i think it's time for a couple of hipstamatic nursery pictures! i have a lot of work to get done (illustration commissions and cleaning) before our next batch of visitors. i had better hop to it!

apartment tour.

yesterday i was tagged by allie to share some of my favorite things about our little abode. it's about time i gave a tour of our apartment! these are a few of my favorite things: auggie the doggie! our books, especially my small collection of cookbooks. our patchwork chair, complete with my favorite ikea pillow. our giant yellow four-poster bed, always in a perpetual state of unmade-ness. the kitchen, also known as my favorite room. our little herb garden on the deck. sylvia's mobile above her crib. we're still working on the rest of the drawings for it! the pink parrot, which hangs over the other end of her crib. this belonged to me when i was little. lastly, the view from our living room windows. i spend a lot of time looking out this window, at the trees, and daydreaming about sylvie. there you have it! our tiny, happy, cozy apartment. sometimes i wish we had more room. i often wish we could move this apartment to another place. that said, at the end of the day this little one-bedroom is my sanctuary. this is my first home with my husband, the place where sylvie was made, and where we will bring her home. i will miss this place when we move next year.

award.

today i received my very first blog award. thanks, GRETCHEN! as the recipient of the blog with substance award, i am supposed to share 5 words that sum up my blog philosophy/motivation. -education -family -community -friendships -SYLVIA (she is the reason i began writing this, after all.) i am also supposed to pass this award onto 10 other bloggers with substance. like gretchen, i am going to cheat a little and pass this award onto 3 exceptionally substantial bloggers. -jess at hello sunshine -kim at crossy -allie at it's a wonderful life i'm going to take it easy for the rest of the evening. today we sorted laundry, ran a bunch of errands, and hung sylvie's mobile (pictures coming soon)! i'm about spent. i hope everyone has a fantastic evening. happy wednesday!

what we ' re up to tonight.

this is what travis is working on: that's right! he is putting sylvie's beautiful crib together as i type this. i can't wait to see it when he finishes! this is what i am working on: since i am now too cumbersome to help with the construction of her crib, i've decided to work on a drawing for her. i really can't imagine a better saturday night!

we ' re finished!

after a smooth start and a rough middle, the crib is finished! and the proud papa, who only teared up a little, standing by his handiwork: things are really coming together. it's a amazing how a simple thing can make me feel so much more prepared to welcome this new life.
p.s. aren't all of her little animal friends adorable? obviously, they are in the crib only for picture purposes. we will move them to a safer place once she arrives!

to etsy or not to etsy?

i finished sylvie's drawing this afternoon! i'm pretty happy with how it turned out. it's really nice to have someone to draw things for. (click for a larger image.) and some detail shots: so, i'm thinking about starting up a small etsy shop to sell some of my illustrations. my eventual goal is to be able to contribute to our household finances through freelance work alone. for a sampling of some of my other work, click HERE. my question for you, dear readers, is this: would you patronize my shop? please leave a comment with your honest answer. i'd love to hear what you have to say, especially if you have an etsy shop of your own! all advice is welcome. thanks!!

the parents ' progress.

we have made a lot of headway on sylvie's nursery in the last few days! tonight we got her bookcases put to together! and a close-up of all of her cute things! the larger of the two lambs was mine when i was a wee babe.  it plays mary had a little lamb and moves its head from side to side when wound.  the picture in the frame is a photograph of my nana and sylvie's namesake.  the zebra and the hippo come from my parents and trav's parents, respectively.  that little panda next to the zebra is a paci plushie from allie at it's a wonderful life.  the rest are things we purchased for her at various places. here is the smaller of the two bookcases. these red bins are fantastic!  they are really heavy duty canvas and zip completely closed.  they'll be great for when she's mobile and constantly trying to get into things!  both bookcases are part of the expedit series from ikea.  the bins are from ikea, too.  as you can tell from these pictures, there is still A LOT to be done!  still, i think we've made great progress this week.  we're going to be parents in 3 months.  she could be here, completely healthy, in 11 weeks.  how crazy is that?!  i can't wait to meet her!

operation nursery: week 1.

so dana over at hancock heir is totally making me feel like an underachiever. she is exactly one week behind me in her pregnancy and already has her little boy's (aydan) nursery just about done and looking super cute! it's really helping to light a fire under my tuchus. with one week to go until we're in the third (and final OHMYGOODNESS) trimester, it's about high time travis and i start readying sylvie's space. today is the first official day of operation nursery! we've sat down and made a list of things we want to get done every night this week to get the nursery (and the rest of our apartment) baby ready. here is our list (the things we've already completed are crossed off). TONIGHT: clean and organize the bathroom, do a load of laundry, tidy-up and reorganize the kitchen, clean out the bedroom closet MONDAY: mop the bathroom floor, pick up all the clothes in the apartment and sort them, more laundry TUESDAY: go through the boxes of stuff in the nursery, take apart the desk chair and move it, more laundry WEDNESDAY: put together the nursery bookshelves (2), clean off and take apart the bookcase in the bedroom (it is sways like crazy and is so NOT baby safe), go through all of our books THURSDAY: take down the pictures on what is now the nursery wall, re-hang them somewhere else or pack them away, move the crib box against the wall where the crib will go, go through my stuff in the corner of the living room, decide where to move our butcher block kitchen cart (probably into the bedroom where the bookshelf used to be) THINGS TO WORK ON THROUGHOUT THE WEEK: the map for sylvie's wall, the baby blanket i'm crocheting, sorting and folding laundry there you have it! we're taking friday night off because we both work that evening. there's nothing listed for saturday because travis is working and i need a night off! i'll probably just work on the map and blanket that night. mom, i hope we're making you proud. we're trying to get it all done! my nesting hormones are kicking us into full-gear all of a sudden! it feels so great to walk up to the fridge and cross something off the list. there will be new lists next week and the week after that. i'm hoping to get a ton done before i leave for my week in pennsylvania on june 9th. dear readers, i'm posting the lists here so that you can help hold us accountable!!! i'll keep a copy in the sidebar all week and cross things off as we go. WISH US LUCK, PLEASE!! THANK YOU. our apartment is teeny tiny and this makes for a lot of work. getting the nursery space ready easily dominos into having to shift a lot around. most of this clean out is long overdue. this sweet baby is just the impetus we needed to get it all done!