Baby's Mural

I decided a long time ago, I wanted to paint a mural on the baby's wall way before I knew the gender. Since I hate both pink and blue and they are the commercial colors for what else..... babies, I picked out the nursery bedding to be gender neutral. I also love color- lots of different colors and the bedding that caught my eye was Alphabet Soup. So over the summer I took some classes in Ceramics and Painting for fun because I knew I wouldn't just do that kind of thing unless I was in a class and really worked on some samples that I could use for the room. I made some great little bowls and figures to match the animals from Alphabet Soup and practiced painting the animals from the bedding as well.



I then decided I wanted to add a tree and a branch with the bird. So I started sketching the wall AFTER I was put on bed rest of course. Who has time to paint when you are at work all day and then when you get home you are exhausted. I am only allowed to be on my feet for a certain amount of time and then I have to put my feet up, but I have gotten a lot accomplished so far. I will share some pictures as soon as the baby is born since my camera and USB plug are packed!

39 Weeks 4 days update

Lucky me I had another doctor appt today where I was sure my blood pressure would be terrible and they would induce me but somehow I escaped with the most fabulous pressure reading all pregnancy 120/60. So they sent me home to wait. No problem there. I am in the middle of painting the mural on the baby's wall so now I have more time to devote to that before the baby comes. I have to go back on Monday to have my pressure checked again and the baby's weight(one day past my due date) if I don't deliver before then. Hopefully Baby Quinn will be here before that. I will keep drinking the Red Raspberry Leaf tea and hope for the best!

Happy Birthday Paul

For Paul's birthday he had to play pool on one of his teams so I made some pool ball cupcakes and surprised him at the pool hall. I think he was a little embarrassed but his teammates surely didn't mind. Billy ate three, Rich had four and Ellen had a couple. Paul ate the lucky 8 ball but unfortunately the baby did not make its debut on his birthday. That is what he really wanted. Since my camera and USB plug are packed for the hospital pics will have to come later.

39+ Weeks-Bed Rest and NO MORE WORK!

Well today when i went in to the doctor my blood pressure was acting up again. It wasn't really high like last time or even bad enough to be medicated but the doctor decided working and a long commute at 39+ weeks was not a good idea anymore. So she put me on bedrest. :( I am very sad because I was trying so hard to make it through the three days of the NYS ELA test with my students. They are ready but I know they would do better if I were there. Maybe they wouldn't be so nervous, but unfortunately I am not going to be there. I am hoping Baby Quinn will debut soon though because I am not one to sit around and veg on the couch. There is only so much Tivo one can watch.

Another school week over

And I made it through. Well technically I took two days off- one for the doctor and one for the weather so it was only a three day work week but hey I made it to Friday. I do have to work tomorrow so hopefully the snow holds off until I get home. We were supposed to celebrate Paul's birthday (a little early) at my in laws tonight but my father in law wasn't feeling so good so the celebration was canceled. My mother in law sent us part of the delicious meal so we celebrated here instead. Tom & Jerry even got to enjoy a little bit of pot roast and gravy since it was a birthday. We are also busy cleaning out the freezer and freezing lots of meals for when the baby comes so we don't have to prepare too many meals then. I am wondering about this snow storm we are getting tomorrow..... The last 3 times I have been to the hospital over the last month it has snowed. Hmmmm I wonder- that would make a nice birthday present for Paul ;)

38+ Week update

So off I went to the doctor today even though my appt was yesterday. Yesterday's appts were canceled due to the doctor leaving for an emergency C-section to deliver twins-THANK GOD that's not me! So I had to take today off- oh well. Plus it looks like tomorrow might be another day off due to snow and ice. We shall see. So anyway I get to the doctor and my blood pressure is way too high. I didn't do anything today that would have made it that high so the doctor checked it herself and it was even higher. So I got to take a trip to the hospital so they could monitor my blood pressure for a few hours, check out the baby and do some blood work. The doctor was not too concerned that it is preeclampsia since I didn't have any of the symptoms other than the high blood pressure but better be safe than sorry so I went to the hospital. Also other exciting news- my "fabulous cervix" is dialating.

I LOVE THIS HOSPITAL. Everyone was so nice. I was able to take a little nap while the machines checked me out and the nurse that I had was so wonderful. She even brought me some cheesecake and juice and water. She was so nice to explain everything and waited with me when the lab tech came to draw my blood. She showed me the contractions I was having on the monitor which I thought were just big baby movements- hah I am going to be the idiot in labor and not know it. After about two hours of monitoring the bloodwork came back and was good and my blood pressures were much lower than the doctor's office so I got to go home! YEAH!

The nurse did say the baby looked really good and to keep my blood bank bracelet on because I just might be back sooner than I think! Let's just hope it is way after the ice melts tomorrow.

I also did the last thing on my LIST OF THINGS TO DO BEFORE BABY COMES. I took advantage of my day off and did my own belly cast. I didn't get a chance yet to photograph it so I will save it for another post soon.

My Last Project Before Giving Birth

When my colleague asked me if I could make a cake for her neighbor's first birthday I said sure. Then she told me it needed to be done for January 3rd. Hmm cutting it kind of close to my due date especially since I never made a Winnie the Pooh cake and am a much better cupcake maker than cake maker. She was pretty cool and said it had to be Winnie themed but do whatever I wanted. I like those kinds of parameters because it lets me be creative. I had to check with my sister in law Keri to make sure she wouldn't mind making it in case Baby Quinn made an early entrance. I told her I would give her the cake fee and be forever in debt. But luckily Baby Quinn waited and I am so glad because I had so much fun making this cake. I hope the little girl it is for (even though she is only one :) will like it. It is a two layered chocolate with butter cream and fondant accents. Now I am free to have this baby!