Week 36 (9 months!): For all the world to see…..

First let me apologize for the skin-baring photos this week.  I never thought I’d show the belly in all it’s glory, but something about being at 9 months makes me want to document every little thing from here on out.  So please overlook the nasty appendectomy scar, belly button piercing hole, newly outie belly button, and overall hilariousness of my lop-sided gut and realize—THERE’S A BABY IN THERE!  I can’t wait to show my little girl these photos someday and say “That’s you!!” 

By the end of this week, little Baby C will be considered “full term” at which point I will be eating all the spicy foods I can find, to coax this girl out of my swollen belly!  Truly the anticipation is already driving me nuts.  Every little backache and contraction (which I’m guessing are just Braxton Hicks) has me imagining calling the hubby and saying those sacred words [like in the movies], “It’s time.”  My other reaction [to the aches and pains that could mean labor]?  Panic.  At this point I’m exhausted more often than not, so the idea of giving birth just sounds completely impossible to me.  But you know what?  I think I have plenty of incentive to get me through—I mean, like I said before:  THERE’S A BABY IN THERE!

 In these photos:  vintage tshirt (cut into a tank top by moi), vintage bracelets and rings, Hard Tails yoga pants (every pregnant woman should own these!!  they also do wonders at flattening a tummy on non-pregos)

xo

Jayme

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Week 35: Old School

Well well well….look at this girl here.  She has finally gotten “big”. 

Andrew keeps giggling at me and my round belly. “I think the baby had a growth spurt!” he says.  When I lay on my side I can feel the weight of the baby pulling at my stomach.  And I’m walking a bit more slowly (and cautiously!) these days.   I’m one step away from the pregnant-lady-waddle.

All this strain on my body makes for an increase in anxiousness about d-day getting here sooner rather than later.  I certainly wouldn’t consider my current state completely uncomfortable….but I’m a  little nervous to get to that point.  I don’t want my hubby to have to deal with me if and when I get to that point.

But you know what?  The aforementioned “d-day” brings a whole other list of anxieties.  The thought of going into labor is SCA-RY.  Truly my one and only expectation for giving birth is to deliver a healthy baby.  I’m not ashamed to use pain medication.  I won’t be upset if the doctor tells me I need a c-section (though obviously I’d prefer NOT to have surgery).  Yes, I said doctor.  Like at a hospital.  No mid-wife or at-home birth for me.  I’m going old-school (well, I guess an at home would really be OLD school…I’m talking….past 100 years old-school).  The anticipation of labor and facing the unknown is enough for me.  If it takes a whole team of nurses, doctors, IVs, epidurals and the likes to get my baby out safe and sound, then so be it (but please cross your fingers that by some miracle of God it is naturally pain free and sets the record for the quickest labor EVER!).

In these photos:  Levi’s jeans, Steve Madden clogs, vintage red button up blouse

xo

Jayme

Week 33: So. Tired.

Excuse my tired, lazy eyes...so sleepy!

Can I just first start off by saying—I am so tired.  Not just the kind of tired where it’s hard to get up in the morning and by the end of the day you’re ready to park yourself on couch for the rest of the night.  This is way beyond that.  I’m talking, a whole other level on the tiredness scale.  My eyes don’t feel fully open most of the day…like if I blink too hard I will fall asleep.  So tired that at times I feel like nothing else matters.  Getting my assignments done at work?  Eh, they can wait.  I physically can’t move my hands from resting under my chin (holding my head up so as not to injure myself if I nod off) to the keyboard. 

Have I made my point yet?

I. am. tired.

Kudos to all the mamas-to-be out there who work their normal job hours throughout their entire pregnancy.  Cause let me tell ya, it’s not easy.

All sleepiness aside, I have been incredibly blessed so far in this pregnancy.  With seven weeks left till my due date, I feel like I’m almost home free as far as crazy swollen ankles, puffy cheeks, stretch marks,  and the likes.  Almost.

So this is me saying…tiredness?  Bring it on.  If that’s the least of my struggles at this point, I think that makes me one darn lucky girl.

xo

Jayme

In these photos: vintage maxi dress (yep, it’s all one piece!), black boots from Aldo, earrings from Charlotte Russe

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Happy Halloween!

Last year for Halloween I dressed up as a cowgirl...and I'm talking, the typical Halloween-version of a cowgirl--plaid shirt, tied in a knot (exposing the midriff), cut off shorts, pig tails....yikes! Lots of people suggested I go as a pregnant nun this year (by "go" I'm not sure what they meant...I'm certainly not doing any bar/party hopping these days).  Andrew and I decided to do the cliche pumpkin belly (which I first saw on Amber in Teen Mom....eeesh).  Here it is!

Baby C's first Halloween--she is dressed as a pumpkin.  

(Painted by daddy.)

Happy Halloween!  Hope you get lots of treats! 

(And keep your eyes peeled for little Aurora's first Halloween costume...she is too darn cute!)

xo

Jayme

Week 31: It’s all about ME

Sitting at my computer, I’m really stumped about what to write about this week.  Pregnancy is certainly far from mundane….I suppose it’s just SO far from mundane that I’m not sure what to share right now that wouldn’t scare some of our readers!  Body changes, mood changes, weird dreams, crazy thoughts… I’m honestly starting to forget what I was like before I had a bun in the oven—when my belly wasn’t constantly itchy from the stretching skin, when I didn’t cry at commercials [as often], when I didn’t wake up twice a night to go pee, when my biggest concern in the world was what to cook the hubby for dinner.   I feel like being pregnant has made me SO self-concerned.  It’s really all I talk about.  I’m constantly complaining to poor Andrew about my aches and pains.  Every little change in my body, I’m running to the computer to google if it’s normal.  So, I’m super anxious to have this little baby so I can cast all my [own] cares away and focus on her.  Even though it is kinda nice getting a little extra attention that comes with having a baby bump.

This weekend is my baby shower!  Amanda and my mom are throwing it for me—my one request was that I didn’t have to be involved in planning.  I loathe party planning.  From what I’ve heard it will be vintage-themed (of course!).  Keep your eyes peeled for Amanda’s blog entry, documenting the shindig!

xo

Jayme

 In these photos:  white tank from Target, vintage vest (for sale on Miskabelle), grey maxi skirt (thrifted, not vintage), black braided sandals by Dolce Vida, vintage/other jewelry

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Week 30: The Countdown Begins

So.  10 weeks to go.  Here’s the part where I start periodically saying, “I can’t believe I only have [fill in number here] weeks left before my due date!”

If you follow Miskabelly on Twitter you may have noticed my repetitive grumblings about being super distracted and unable to concentrate on my work at my day job (oh, and if you’re not following me on Twitter…click here to do so!).  It has seriously become a problem.  I’ve got baby on the brain like you wouldn’t believe!  It doesn’t help that this little girl is kicking and turning and poking at me all day long.  I love those little kicks—they let me know she’s doing okay in there.  But they’re also a constant reminder that I’ve got a baby on board and the desk I sit at everyday and the computer screen I stare out for hours on end are about to be a thing of the past (eek!).  Times they are a’changin’ around these parts.  As I get closer to my due date…and my last day at work, Amanda and I are busting our butts to get the Miskabelle/Miskabelly ball rolling.  We’re stocking up the shops, setting up more giveaways, looking for publicity and all this while we still are going about our regular lives and jobs.  It is a LOT of work.  And also a LOT of fun.  We’re building a mini empire for our baby girls.

This week I let Andrew in on some of the self-timer photo fun.  I love how we captured a moment, even with no one behind the camera!  That guy makes me so freakin happy—as you can see in the photos.

In these photos:

Jayme’s wearing- tan sweater (not sure of the brand?), leggings from target, bow socks from Target, vintage cowboy boots, vintage head scarf.

Andrew’s wearing- black polo shirt by Penguin, corduroy pants from Gap, Havaiana flip flops.

We can't wait to be parents!

xo

Jayme

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Week 28: Now entering the THIRD Trimester!

Why hello there, third trimester! I thought we’d never meet.  Time has been dragging and I was beginning to feel as though I was going to be forever trapped in the second trimester.  Now here you are.  The marking point of the last three months I must endure till I can meet my little girl.  Rumor has it, you are the quickest of the three trimesters….but so far, I’ve found that no one’s experience with pregnancy can really be trusted as tried and true.  Everyone is different.  So I’m just t gonna take it day by day. 

Despite the abundance of kicking and movement, it’s still hard to image that my little belly is carrying a baby the size of [according to babycenter.com] a Chinese cabbage.  I love Andrew’s astonished reactions when the baby girl gives a big poke.  Usually it’s a “Whoooa!!”…..and sometimes it’s an “Ewww….!!”—which is understandable-- it is a bit strange to imagine a miniature person swimming in my belly.

 It has been a rainy and miserable past couple of days--definitely too soggy to take photos outdoors today.  Luckily we invested in some studio lighting for our shop a while back, so I made good use of it today.  I love pulling on a dress or top and seeing how it hugs my belly just right.  We’ve had this dress for a while, but there’s a small stain I need to take care of before we list it for sale.  Oh, and once I tried it on I decided to chop off some length….so it will eventually need hemmed as well!

I’m off to cook up a quick batch of potato soup—I’m in dire need of something warm and savory to perk me up on this gloomy evening!  BTW, are you following this blog?  If not, you should!  We are planning some awesome giveaways for October that you won’t want to miss!

xo

Jayme

In these photos:  Vintage baby blue boucle dress, tan heels (brand unknown…I think I paid $6 for 

them at a discount store!), vintage and gifted bracelets