just one quick photo...

...then I need to go nap!

Kissing Pregnancy Goodbye...

Things I won’t miss one bit about pregnancy:

- Taking over 5 minutes just to flip over in bed

- People making comments like, “Wow! You must be due any day!” even though I was only 20 weeks along.

- Headaches, backaches, bloody noses, hemmeroids, nausea, stretch marks, breathlessness, sleeplessness, Braxton hicks, achy hips, water retention, fatigue, heartburn, blurred vision, breast tenderness, and itchiness

- Gestational Diabetes

- Feeling fat and ugly one day then beautiful the next, and never knowing which mood I will wake up to

- Getting used to one stage, then having it change just as quickly

- A head-butted cervix

- Excess mucous…everywhere

- Insatiability

- Tacky maternity clothes (having to look at them in the stores; I didn’t actually BUY tacky maternity clothes!)

- Hoping people will let me go to the front of lines, offer me their seats, and open doors for me, but never actually experiencing this

Things I will definitely miss about pregnancy:

- Feeling beautiful and magical and completely feminine

- Getting compliments from people

- Cute maternity clothes

- Having a huge belly for a purpose

- The closeness between me and Evalie

- Not having to deal with a crying baby because she is always able to sleep perfectly, eat endlessly, and be completely comfortable

- Sleeping when I can

- Prenatal exercise & education classes

- How WONDERFUL apples taste (or anything else I am craving for that matter)

- A feeling of anticipation and looking forward to the future

- Celebrations & showers & presents

- David taking such good care of me

- Extra massage therapy and pedicure appointments

- Free time; lots of free time

- The nesting instinct; I love the motivation and energy of this drive to clean and organize. Oh, I also love having such a clean house all the time.

- Creativity; it just flows!

Overall…

Pregnancy has had its ups and downs. It’s had wonderful moments, and painful moments. The funny thing is, though…even though the lists are about the same length…I look back FONDLY on this season in my life! I have treasured, savored, LOVED being pregnant! I have enjoyed the good stuff and focused on it. I have minimized the bad stuff and just let it pass. I am so very thankful that God has given me a spirit of optimism during this precious time in my life, because it’s helped me to appreciate things so much more. And, although everything is going to change when Evalie arrives outside my womb, I hope that my same bright outlook will continue. I am not naïve. I know that parenting will be difficult – no one hesitates to tell you about that! But, people don’t often go around talking about how amazing it is to watch a child smile for the first time, or say their first word, or learn how to read. Everyone worries about how much they’re “sacrificing.” But, what about the gains? What about the fact that we’re adding so much to our lives, to our communities, to the world? I am excited to become a mama, and I can’t wait to experience the next chapter…as I say goodbye to this one…

{Photos by Kelly MacDonald}

Her Nook

Our apartment only has two bedrooms, which I suppose for most people would mean that their baby gets a room as a nursery. But, for a variety of reasons, we've decided that Evalie's space will be a wall in our master bedroom. It sounds like it's not much, but I think it's adequate! So, here's the details of her little "nursery":

A couple good views of the whole area. You can see that our master bedroom is MASSIVE, so I think it still feels spacious in there:

Her "bassinet" is by Arm's Reach cosleeper's. I chose it because it's super sturdy, and the bassinet part holds up to 35 lbs. Then, the top bassinet part comes and and it's like a pack n play that holds up to 50 lbs. So, there's a possibility we'll be able to go without a crib altogether! And, it wheels right next to the bed, with the side of it lowered to make mid-night breastfeeding a breeze - woo hoo!

A homemade apple hat (because I have eaten so many apples during pregnancy that she'll be MADE of them!) from Etsy shoppe "DebsAranKnits":

One of Evalie's first Christmas presents; a sheep piggy bank from Auntie Krystal:

More sheep from the Lambie collection at Bath and Body Works (my mom and I had stocked up on these years ago when I thought a lamb "theme" would be cute for a nursery...since then I've decided to have a more modern theme...but the lambs are still cute in there!):

Some of the wonderful books we received from all you awesome friends:

This wall vinyl was made by my friend Jodi from Scrapbooking Memories here in London. She whipped it out with her Sillouette in no time! Thank you Jodie!

To hang up her hats, I hung ribbon from strong sticky hooks on the side of her dresser. I found these ADORABLE and IRRESISTABLE mini pink glittered clothespins in the scrapbooking section at Michaels to clip the hats onto...how flippin cute! This bunny hat is from the Etsy shoppe "Saidonia":

My AWESOME nursing chair! This was a splurge for us, and we're SO HAPPY that we got it! This was pretty enough that we can incorporate it into our living room furniture one day - and it's sooooooo comfy. It's from a family owned American company called Little Castle. You can order them at target.com.

This gorgeous canvas is an original handpainted piece of art from my dear friend Tammy in Victoria - it's so incredible! Also, there's another amazing handmade quilt on this stack of blankets from my friend Jen in BC - I am totally touched by handmade gifts!

Muslin swaddling blankets - a MUST have for summer babes!

Evalie's BEAUTIFUL homemade quilt from her Auntie Lindsay - love love love this!!!

All her clothes are ready and waiting for her cute little body:

TFL all you auntie's- to-be!!!!

I've been scrapbooking again!

Part of my nesting instinct that's ruling my life right now is the need to catch up on my scrapbooking projects. I want to have room - to be ready - to enjoy scrapbooking just Evalie and the millions of stories I will want to tell when she arrives. For the most part, I am getting very close to "caught up." I have had to let go of certain goals - like scrapbooking Greece for example :( That's hard for me...but I also have to be realistic, ya know?

Very happy about the projects on my list that I did complete {listing for my own enjoyment...makes me feel good to write it down...}:

- Karen and Kenny's Wedding Album

- Moving to Ontario mini

- Starbucks mini

- San Fran Babymoon complete 12X12 album

- Prepping of Evalie's 365 album

- Nesting mini (to put photos in later - just got crazy inspired and had to make it!)

- Pregnancy Journey mini (in progress; as caught up as possible)

- All of 2010 and 2011 ALMOST caught up (including Christmas - woo hoo!)

Thought I would share some of the artwork that's flowed from my crazy drive to produce! TFL!!! Hope it inspires you :)

These (below - next four layouts) are some page protectors that my friend Kristin picked up for me thinking I would like them...she was right! They were perfect for these beach photos that I had so many of...I just cropped them all to 4" squares, and then used patterned paper and embellishments in some of the other pockets. Super easy and fast - and love the way that it still looks like a layout instead of "just" pictures in pockets.

I've been really into two-page layouts lately, I've noticed...more than usual anyway.

Yay for an oversized printer so I can journal directly onto the 12X12 pages! I have the Epson Stylus Photo 1400...it ROCKS. And, it comes with Photoshop Elements too!

Am so in love with mixing the different page sizes in with my albums. Above is my first ever two-page 8.5X11 vertical layout - love that size! Handy if you need something bigger than 12X12 but don't want to do a full 12X24...ya know?

Don't know WHY, but I am totally in love with the layout below. I just really like how it's so different than my other pages - the layout is totally different, but fun.

Finally found the BEST WHITE PEN I HAVE EVER USED!!!! Yes...this one REALLY REALLY works. I know they always say that...but take it from me (and see below). I have tried the Sharpie (dries out too fast), UniBall (doesn't write on pictures), and Gelly Roll (very uneven and not dependable). But...*drum roll please*...the Sakura Color Products Pen-Touch works WONDERFULLY!!!! I think I got it at a little stationary place that sells Japanese stuff...It's AWESOME.

Always wanted to use these little word stickers this way! Finally did it...

Thanks again for looking!!!!