And the winner is. . .

Kathy! There were 35 of you who guessed when Caroline would arrive and what her stats would be. I am so glad that the website computed the results for me because I would have had a hard time figuring it all out. Kathy had the lowest number of points with 46.5 points. Second place was Hope with 89.5 points and third place was Nana with 141.5 points. What really helped Kathy was her guess for the date and time of birth. She was only off by 3 hours and 18 minutes, by far the closest guess. She also guessed the weight exactly. Kathy will be receiving a Smoothie gift card in the mail when I get a chance to leave the house to buy one!

Thanks to everyone who played and also to those of you who had fun trying to guess the name. For the record, Grandad was the only one who correctly suggested Caroline though he continued to be hopeful that Squeak would actually be a boy named Bobby Joe. Caroline was the name of his grandmother.

Catching up - Maternity photos #2

I already posted most of my maternity photos but I never got around to posting the rest. Caroline may already be here but I need to catch up.

I love this first one. Obviously I could not post it before because it gave away the first initial of her name. At the time we took the photo we actually were not sure what name we were using so we took the same post with another letter as well. I really like the way it turned out and plan to hang it in her room, along with all of the letters.

I saw this photo on another blog and thought it was a cute idea. What is great is that I actually went into labor on Squeak's due date. And, that is pretty much what our calendar looked like at the end, not much there except that the baby was due.

Katherine and I have long had a fun game of "boop-ing". This is when we bump like body parts. While I was pregnant she always wanted to "boop" tummies with baby sister so this photo was fun. I really wanted to get a lot of sweet photos with Katherine but this was about as much cooperation as I was able to get out of her.

Here we are reading one of our favorite books about becoming a big sister. It is called New Baby.

EDD - 3 update

Today I had my next midwife appointment so here is the update for 3 days before my due date.

Everything is good. My blood pressure was perfect. I was a little concerned because my ankles have begun to get a little swollen but it is July and HOT. I did not gain any weight which actually pleased me. Since we have been sick this week with a stomach bug I feared that I might have lost weight and I did not want that. I am currently 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced so things are moving slowly in the right direction. My belly measurement (fundal height) has actually shrunk 2 cm as Squeak has dropped. She is in perfect position for a regular birth - head down and engaged, back toward the front. All great news.

Lindsey (my midwife) and I talked about our plan from here. My due date is on Friday and she hopes to see me then as that is the day I optimally want to deliver. It is when she, my OB and my friend who work in L&D are all on duty. If that day comes and goes without a baby though, we scheduled my next appointment for next Wednesday. At that time we will do a biophysical profile which is a sonogram just to make sure that everything is OK with my "past term" baby. She is not concerned that it would not be, it just standard. The OB had originally said that my final deadline was the 25th, one week past my due date but today Lindsey said she had talked to the OB and due to a few factors, such as the 25th is Lindsey's birthday and she does not want to some in for surgery, the hospital surgery schedule is full, etc. They will let me go until the 29th. While it does not excite me that I might have this baby in me for 4 more days than originally thought, I am glad that they agree to let nature take its course and allow me to go into labor on my own.

Overall I am feeling pretty good (except for the stomach bug we have). I am still getting around pretty comfortably and sleeping OK. I seem to be taking 1-2 hours of naps a day which is really odd for me. I am just at that point where I am a bit impatient. I am a planner so this lack of control is frustrating. There is nothing on my calendar but to have a baby. The list is all done, the house is fairly straight. We are ready.

Katherine is so excited about meeting baby sister. She gives my tummy hugs, kisses and zerberts all the time. She will say things like, "I want baby sister to come out. I want to hold her. I'll be soft. I'll kiss her. I'll share my toys." She tells us all the things that she will do to help and all the things she will teach baby sister. It will be so fun to see them together.

So, keep praying that we go into labor on our own and my preference would be soon. And, if yo have any fun labor inducing ideas, let me know. Lindsey said the only proven one is the one that got me into this situation, but I love to hear your ideas and am willing to try all kinds of stuff like eating eggplant, etc.

On the naming front, we are pretty sure we have a final name! It has been fun to see suggestions and guesses. The most fun has been my father in law who emails me a guess almost every day. He continues to hope that Squeak is a boy named Bobby Joe but if she is a girl he has suggested Judy, family names of Caroline and Stella and flower names of Jasmine and Lily from childhood memories Sam has or the flower names of Hyacinth, Daisy, Rose or Violet from our favorite BBC comedy, "Keeping Up Appearances". I do promise that we are not using family names from my side of Ruby, Fanny and Willa Mae (sisters). Their other sister was my great grandmother Marie. Thank goodness for one normal name in the bunch.

Hyacinth Bucket (Bouquet) from Keeping Up Appearances

I do NOT want to go into labor tonight

Why? Because I have a sick toddler. Since there was no sign of a baby coming today we called Nana and Pops to see if Katherine could spend the night at their house tonight. That way Sam and I could have a date, maybe dinner and a movie, without worrying about getting back in time to get Katherine in bed. Since we all go to the same church it works well and in the morning they just bring her to church.

We arrived at Nana's and Katherine was really snugly with her daddy. She had just gotten up from a nap about 20 minutes before so we did not think anything of it. Then as she was laying on the couch, she threw up. The only other time she has ever thrown up was when she was 9 months old so this really scared her. We decided not to go out and stayed over there until she had stopped. She had 2 more episodes. Katherine was so sweet about it. She was scared but kept saying she was sorry to Nana and to me for making a mess. She wanted to wash her hands and felt bad that my shirt was messy.

We came home and she seems to feel fine. Hopefully this was a short stomach bug or something she ate. Regardless, I don't think tonight would be my preferred night to go into labor since I have a sick toddler.

Katherine leaving Nana's house with her new suitcase after feeling better.

So, when is my preference of when to go into labor? Well, I will take anything before July 25th (deadline before they want to do a c-section) but if I had to choose, I would want to give birth on Friday, July 18th, my actual due date. This is the only day that both my midwife and my OB are on call so I thought that would be a good day. Plus, with giving birth on a Friday Sam would not have to worry about how things are at work while we are in the hospital and it is a good time for friends and family to come visit. Really though anytime next Thursday-Sunday my midwife is the one on call so that works for me.

So, as long as you are thinking of me, pray that I deliver on the 18th and that I continue to feel as good next week as I did this week.

A hint

We have narrowed Squeak's name down to two names. We are pretty sure which one we will use and we are using it ourselves this week to see how it feels. It has been so much harder this time. With Katherine we knew that was going to be the name of our first daughter at least a year before we were even pregnant. As soon as we found out we were having a girl, Sam and I started talking about Katherine. By the time she was born we were used to it and never once used her nick name "Pip".

This time it has been much more difficult but it is narrowed down. Ironically our two remaining names have been at the top of our list since before we found out we were pregnant with Squeak but for some reason we have had a very hard time deciding for sure and committing to a name. So, with only 9 days left to our due date, we will probably be one of those couples I have always made fun of. The couple that shows up at the hospital without knowing the name of their baby. I would always be amazed thinking, "You knew for 9 months you were having a baby and for 5 months that it was a girl, how could you not have a name?!?!" Now I know and no longer will laugh at those other couples.

So, for our hint, here are some names that it is not (as found in this recent news article) :

Most popular boy/girl baby names in 1950:

1. Linda
2. Mary
3.Patricia
4. Barbara
5. Susan
6. Nancy
7. Deborah
8. Sandra
9. Carol
10. Kathleen

Here's the list from last year:

1.Emily
2. Isabella
3. Emma
4. Ava
5. Madison
6. Sophia
7. Olivia
8. Abigail
9. Hannah
10. Elizabeth

I do like a lot of the top ten names from last year. A few were on our "short list" of about 15 names and I have 3 nieces whose names are on the list (Emily, Hannah and Sophia). We do like pretty traditional names that are not gender-neutral.

So, if you would like to start making some guesses on what you think the name would be, I would love to see it in the comments.

Pool is closed

I have closed the online baby pool for new guesses because the due date is approaching and I don't want anyone to have an unfair advantage in winning the prize. If you want to submit a guess TONIGHT then just email me and I will add it. So far I have 35 guesses. The due date guesses range anywhere from July 10 (thanks Sundee) to July 27 (no thanks for Desi!). The most guessed date was July 20th which is 2 days after my due date. Even my dear husband chose after my due date. He chose July 22 because then both girls birthday would be on the 22nd. The weights ranged from 6lb to 7lb 8 oz and the lengths range from 17 to 22 inches. So, hopefully you all are right and I have another smaller baby that slides right out.

The player that baffled me the most was Grandad who said that it would be a boy. At first Sam thought his dad did not notice that the default was boy but he actually left a comment about Baby Joe. So, if the sonogram was wrong and we have a boy, Grandad will be the clear winner.

We will post to the blog when Squeak arrives and we will announce the winner of the Baby Pool at that time. Thanks for playing.

Maternity photos

I am a sucker for photography so I am one that has maternity photos taken. I am lucky that some of my best friends are photographers and so they love having a guinea pig to try new things and I get a great rate on photos. Richard and Jen have taken my bridal portraits (redos a year later), maternity photos with Katherine and family portraits.

We took these portraits 4 weeks before my due date which is the exact same time frame as when we took them with Katherine. It is interesting to compare belly sizes (see the bottom of post). Last time we tried a lot of the "traditional maternity" shots with drapes and all kinds of cheesiness so this time we did a little of that and then branched out. We tried to involve Katherine but she was not too cooperative. Here are some of the shots Richard emailed me today. The rest should arrive next week via "snail mail" and I will post more.

Richard and I both look at a lot of photography websites and blogs so we decided to do some "urban" location shots for the non-traditional maternity photos. They are a lot of fun.





This one is fun. I saw it on a website but where the mom was totally nekid with the exception of some strategically placed rose petals. We did not copy that shot due to 1) my modesty and 2) my photographer is one of my best friends husbands and that is just weird! It does not really show my pregnant belly that well but is still a cool shot so I thought I would include it.

The last two photos are from when I was pregnant with Katherine. As you see, my belly looks almost exactly the same. It is the same size but last time I had a belly button ring. Yep, if you did not know that about me, my belly button used to be pierced. I actually took it out at this photo shoot for good. Sometimes I wish it were still there. Oh, well.

It was really funny when we were getting ready for this photo session. I was looking at the photos from Katherine and she wanted to see them. Here is a summary of our conversation.
Katherine: Mommy has a ring in her belly button

Mom: yes, mommy did used to have a ring in her belly

Sam: Ouch that must have hurt

Mom: Do you think it is pretty?

Sam: Katherine, your belly button is beautiful just like it is.

You can see from our responses that Sam was not a fan of the belly button and he has no desire for our daughter to get one. I don't either for that matter. Hopefully it is a conversation that will not come up again for at least 15 more years when she is about to become a legal adult.

38 week update

Thursday I had my weekly appointment, this time with the OB. That means I need to have my questions written out and ready as time is always shorter (5-10 minutes with OB, 30-45 with midwife). We had a good appointment and she answered all of my questions. The most pressing to me was what do we do during the week between my due date and the cut off date for a VBAC if I don't go into labor on my own. The answer is not much. They will sweep my membranes and I can try any old wives tale for starting labor but as a VBAC they do not medically induce. She would consider breaking my water if I was already dilated and showing some progress. So, please, please be praying that Squeak decides to come on her own. As I have mentioned before, I really want to avoid the OR and a c-section this time around. But if that is what happens, at least I know that I did everything in my control to avoid it.

So, there is a little progress. I have had some contractions but have no idea if they are considered Braxton Hicks or "true" labor contractions. I have dilated 1.5 - 2 cm and the cervix looks good. So that was encouraging since with Katherine on the day I delivered I was 0cm and 0% effaced. The baby has also dropped. I could have told you that due to the pain that I feel. These numbers have no real indication of when I will go into labor. Sometimes people are walking around at 5cm for weeks before labor and others are 0cm the day they give birth. But, it is encouraging to know that things are moving in the right direction. Everything else looked good - blood pressure, growth, etc. No additional weight gain so I have treated myself to two more milkshakes.

Overall I am feeling good though I am very ready. I am sore and not sleeping as well. Overall my pregnancies are very easy and without complications and for that I am thankful. I really feel for friends who have complications and get put on bedrest.

Currently there are 31 votes on the "baby pool". Don't forget to go and cast your vote. There is a prize. Many of my regular readers have not yet cast their vote. The polls will be closing first thing Monday since this is a holiday weekend and I am fairly confident that I will not be in labor over the weekend. Good luck with the guesses.

A fun baby pool - Guess when Squeak will arrive!

I am setting up an online baby pool so that you can guess Squeak's arrival date, weight and length. You do not have to pay to enter the pool but there will be a prize for the person who is the closest. The prize will be a gift card to a drink place of your choice like Starbucks, Fat Straws, Smoothie King, etc. Have fun and be sure to enter soon as I will be closing the chance to guess this weekend. I believe you click on the button above or click this link to enter your guess. Please do it on that site rather than by entering comments here as it actually computes a winner for me.

Here are some facts to help you as you make your guesses.

• My estimated due date is July 18th.
• Katherine was born 3 days late but it was by scheduled c-section.
• Medically I am considered a first time mom since I did not labor at all with Katherine and most first time moms deliver a week overdue.
• I am almost 38 weeks (2 weeks from due date) and feeling crampy but no contractions other than usual Braxton Hicks.
• Katherine was just shy of 6 pounds at full term (5lb 15.9 oz)
• Katherine was 18.5 inches
• This pregnancy has been exactly like Katherine's so far in every way except that I am more sore now. Hopefully this is because Squeak is head down and gearing up for delivery whereas Katherine was breech and never moved toward delivery.

Keep checking the blog for regular updates. We plan to make a post when we are in labor and headed to the hospital and again after the delivery. Sam though has told me that I need to not be addicted to updating my blog from the delivery room:)

Time to pack the bags

This is what the midwife told me yesterday. Tomorrow I am considered full term so we need to be ready. Yikes! While that is so exciting, I do not yet feel ready. This baby is much easier to take care of where she is than when she comes out. So, this weekend my projects include packing, getting my phone and email lists together, and getting everything ready for Katherine to spend a few days away from home when the baby comes.

I think I have put off the task of packing because last time I did it at 37 weeks with hopeful anticipation that Katherine would therefore come soon. When my due date came and went with no Katherine it was all the more disappointing. Maybe I don't want to jinx it, hoping that by not being ready Squeak will come?

So everything at the midwife appointment was great. I took Katherine with me this time and she behaved so well. I was really glad and treated her to a smoothie afterwards. We have been reading some books called Waiting for Baby and My New Baby, so she knew what to expect at the doctors office. She impressed the nurse when she knew what the stethoscope was when they took my blood pressure. She helped midwife Jane measure my tummy and she listened to Squeak's heartbeat.

Sam and I have discussed that we are so glad that Katherine will be almost 2 and a half when Squeak arrives. I am sure we could have handled kids closer if that is what had happened but when she was turning 2 I did not feel like she would have been ready. Being a little older she really seems to understand what is going on. She is excited about baby sister and cannot wait to hold her and meet her. She seems so much more able to entertain herself and is so independent compared to a few months ago. I am glad that we waited a little longer than the original plan because it has been so much fun to enjoy Katherine by herself for the past few months.

I am experiencing weird feelings around this though. I often grieve the loss of Katherine being my only child. Is that weird? Did any other mom's out there feel this? I am sad for her and how her world will change so dramatically in the next month. I am sad that she will no longer get mom and dad's undivided attention. I am selfishly sad that I will not be able to spend as much time with her while I am having to spend so much time with Squeak, especially at first when all I will be doing is nursing. I so enjoy Katherine and spending time with her. As she has gotten older and her personality has really started to show we have so much fun. I hate that she may be hurt and not understand why mommy cannot do all the things she used to do. (FYI - just writing this has actually made me start to cry!)

I know that I will love Squeak as much as I love Katherine. I cannot wait to meet her. I also know that one of the greatest gifts I can give Katherine is a sibling. I cannot wait to see them become best friends as only sisters can. It just pains me to think of the pain that Katherine may experience before she is able to enjoy her sister.

pam·per

–verb (used with object)
1. to treat or gratify with extreme or excessive indulgence, kindness, or care: to pamper a child; to pamper one's stomach.

This week has been a week of pampering in more ways than one! On Tuesday when Katherine was at MDO I went to have a pedicure. I don't do that very often but it is summer so I am wearing sandals and being 8 months pregnant there is no way to paint my toenails myself. I chose bright red. When I got home, I realized that it really had been a long time since my last pedicure because Katherine has no recollection of my toenails ever being colored and she thought it was quite funny. Now, whenever she sees my feet she says, "Mommy's toes are red. Nana's toes are red. Katherine's toes are pink. When Katherine is bigger she has red toes too!" I told her we would paint her toenails when she was older. I have no desire to start that at this point.

Today was another day of pampering. Again Katherine was at MDO. So, I scheduled a prenatal massage at a maternity store and spa in town. It was so great and I highly recommend it. For those of you who have recently had babies, they even have a 4th trimester treatment. I have had a number of massages throughout both pregnancies and this was one that I was very impressed with. It was a Christmas present from my mom - Thanks mom.
I have also pampered in another way - this week I have stocked up on some Pampers diapers for Squeak when they were on sale and I had coupons. We do plan to use cloth diapers again but not exclusively and not at the beginning. I bought 2 big packs of newborn size and one huge box of size ones. I put one pack of newborns in the diaper stacker and I was shocked at how tiny they were. I do not remember them being so small with Katherine. I guess I am so used to my big girl now. Here you see a newborn diaper next to one of Katherine's few remaining diapers. She has been potty trained for 3 months now and when we quit using diapers she was still only in a size 3 diaper. For size comparison I put one of the newborn size diapers next to the baby doll that I bought for Squeak to give Katherine. It looks like it would almost fit the Bitty Baby.

I am coming along on getting ready for Squeak. All of the clothes are washed with the exception of a few that had stains I need to treat. About half of the blankets and burp cloths have been washed as well. The cloth diapers are in the washer right now. Today Madi came over and helped me put away all of these newly washed items, clean Squeak's room of all the clutter and hang pictures on the wall.

This is the view of the room that you all have seen before. We are keeping the blue and white toile. I have kind of given up on "officially" accessorizing with another color. I bought a piece of blue and yellow floral fabric and did not like it. I will just use things that I have and see what happens. The left corner had the rocker when this was Katherine's room but we have moved it to the other side now that there is not a twin bed in this room. I imagine that this corner will be filled with toys since my goal is to have more toys in the bedrooms and less in the den. Above the crib we will put the name but since we don't have the final name chosen yet . . .

My mom found the pictures that were in her room as a little girl. Since toile seems kind of vintage to me I thought it might be fun to use Nana's pictures. I remember the two above the changing table from my grandparents house. I always thought they were reproductions of some impressionist but they are actually done by a local artist who died a few years ago.

This corner has two more pictures of my moms. I still need to work on this area as it seems too cluttered to me right now. Madi and I just kind of took everything that I had set out as possibilities and placed them. I think it is too much though.

36 weeks

I had my appointment yesterday with both my midwife and my OB. I still have no idea why my OB requested that we all meet together. The midwife said that she has only done this a few times with higher risk pregnancies. The good thing was that Sam came with me so that he could meet them both.


Updates: I gained 2 more pounds so a total of 24 pounds. Blood pressure it good. Fundal height (belly size/growth) was 36 cm so exactly what it should be at 36 weeks. Lastly, my Group B Strep test came back positive. So, the issue of whether to take antibiotics or not based on my 8 week test is no longer an issue. I will have IV antibiotics when I get to the hospital.


Several people have asked me about my birth plan so I thought this was a good time to fill you in on what we are planning. With Katherine I had a c-section 3 days past my due date. This was because we found out at that time that she was breech. When an ultrasound was done to confirm this, we also discovered that my amniotic fluid was low and Katherine was small for a term baby. So, I was scheduled for a c-section that day.


At my post-natal appointment I asked my OB about a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) for future pregnancies. He told me that their practice did not do them but that I was a great candidate for one if the baby was not breech. So, it has always been my desire to have a vaginal birth rather than a scheduled c-section. I know that not all people who have had c-sections in the past desire a VBAC and that is fine. If I had a long hard labor that ended in a c-section I might feel differently but I had not a single contraction.


I joined a yahoo group for people who have had c-sections and learned a lot. Most importantly I learned that I am so lucky to not have negative feelings toward my birth with Katherine. Some of the women in this group are still dealing with issues related to their c-section 20 years after the fact. Sure, I regret that I did not have the labor and delivery that I had hoped for but given Katherine's position, I truly feel like my c-section was necessary.


So, with this pregnancy I have been preparing to avoid a c-section. I started by switching my practicioner since my former OB does not do VBAC's. I am seeing a midwife who practices at a hospital. There are two midwives in a practice with about 8 OB's who are all supportive of VBAC's. I absolutely love my midwife and the difference in how a midwife and an OB practice. I have also been seeing a chiropractor who specializes in maternity patients. I began seeing her long before I was pregnant and now see her weekly. There are chiropractic techniques that help your body encourage a baby to be in the proper position. Who knows if Squeak would have had a tendency to be breech or not, but she has been head down since at least 28 weeks. Since that is the reason for my c-section, having her head down makes things look very good for a VBAC. My chiropractor is also a doula and recently completed her midwifery training. She will be my doula and attending the birth. A doula is a professional labor assistant that helps out during labor and delivery.


A lot of people have asked me about having a natural childbirth. That was my goal with Katherine. I took the Bradley classes and had every intention of having an intervention-free, medication-free birth. I still would love that but this time my goal is really to have a VBAC and avoid major abdominal surgery. If I end up with an epidural but avoid surgery, I will be fine with that. There are a lot of reasons why I prefer a natural childbirth that I don't need to go into but I would certainly like the freedom to walk around and labor and deliver in different positions. Having an epidural confines you to bed. I think with a VBAC, it is important to have as many options available as possible and being flat on my back in bed may not allow me to be successful.


We are getting so excited about Squeak's arrival as my due date is only a month away. A friend had their baby this week and I was able to hold her only about 14 hours after birth. I forget how small they are. I have been busy washing all of Katherine's tiny clothes and reminiscing when I put them away. We still have not settled on a name. We are down to three choices. We don't share, so don't ask but do pray that we settle on one soon.

If I had a dollar . . .

for every time someone told me I don't look big enough to be due on July 18th I would be so rich. These comments come daily from both strangers and people I know. I know that the comments are harmless and compliments but they come over and over and I really am getting self conscious about it. I look at my belly and it is big. I feel uncomfortable and like I will deliver in 4-5 weeks. There are even a few stretch marks so I am in fact growing. When my midwife measures me I am always right on target. I am just 5'9" and have small babies. I feel like with every comment I have to give an excuse. I have to prove that I am actually being healthy. I get tired of it.

I never took pictures or updated at my last appointment but I actually gained 4.5 pounds between my 31 and 33 week appointments. The culprit was chocolate chip cookie dough consumed straight from the tub. Never send a hungry pregnant woman to the grocery store! You never know what might end up in the cart. Everything else looked great. My 33 week appointment was with the OB that is following my care with my midwife. I like her OK but it is so different the way the OB and the midwife treat things. Last week (35 weeks) I met with my midwife and then this week I will meet with both of them together. For some reason the OB wanted to do this though when I scheduled the appointment they acted as though they had never heard of this being done. The good thing is that Sam will go with me and meet them both.

At last week's (35 week) appointment I again had gained 4 pounds so I am finally packing it on. My pregnancy is following Katherine's almost exactly. As of right now I have actually gained one more pound than I had at 35 weeks with Katherine. The problem with Katherine though was that I stopped gaining weight at 35 weeks. So, my goal is to gain about one pound a week from here until the end. Luckily I started off lighter this time so overall I will weigh the same. I think that most women have a pregnancy groove if you will and this is just how I do pregnancy. Blood pressure, measurements and all else were normal.

My one frustration is that I tested Group B Strep positive at my very first appointment. I did not even know that they were testing for it but they did. A week later, without taking any antibiotics I was negative. It is not a big deal to have it and it comes and goes in all people throughout their life, but for me it means that the OB wants me to come in to the hospital early in labor to get an IV of antibiotics started. I do not want to go in early. I do not want antibiotics and I do not want to be hooked up to an IV. My midwife agreed to retest me last week which is when most people are tested anyway. I agreed that if I am positive again I would be fine with an IV antibiotic but if I am still negative I would like to avoid it. The only drawback to that is since I tested positive at some point in this pregnancy, we would have to have the baby tested at birth and wait 48 hours for the results. I am sure we will talk about it next week when I have my appointment with my OB and midwife together.

Friday night we met with my doula who happens to be my chiropractor as well. She and her husband came over for dinner and we had a great evening grilling and eating outside. Katherine loved showing Dr. Cindy her big girl room, her silly work sprinkler and showing off by peeing on the carpet in the den (thanks Katherine). We talked about my birth plan and what she will do as my doula.

It has been a fairly productive week and I am moving along on my "to do" list so take a look at what all has been crossed off.

The results

Wow! I would have never guessed that the baby bedding opinions would result in a landslide! I really like both so I thought the opinions would be closer to equal. With the combined comments and emails the total is 24 votes for the blue and white and 3 votes for the floral and gingham. A lot of great input was given for me to digest. Since it was such an obvious opinion and the blue and white one is already made whereas the floral and gingham one would require some work, I will stick with the blue and white.

So, now my question is for all of you that said I should accent with other colors. What in the world do you mean? Where should I put those other colors? I am not going to remake the bedding so that I can add other colors of piping, ruffles or ties. If I were to do that I would just start over. Do I do it though art work on the walls, curtains or what? I am decoratively challenged so if anyone would like to go shopping and help out I would love it. So far I have only spent about $75 on the bedding and curtains so there is some room in the budget for some other stuff. If you know of any great places to buy cute kids stuff and especially art for the walls let me know. I am free on Tuesday and Thursday when Katherine is at MDO. Let me know if you want to help out.

So I spent way too much time on etsy.com tonight searching for artwork. Here are some of the ones that I liked. What do you think? They come from Sarah Jane. Her theme is kind of vintage french kids art so maybe it goes well with the toile. Many of the pictures come in several versions so you can vary the background color and hair color of the kids. Sorry I went a little oveboard on posting the pictures :)

There are 9 month prints. The artist is still working on the summer ones. I like them but it might be weird to only have a few and I don't think I need 12 prints.

I think I like the bunny and tea party ones a lot. It would help to introduce pink into the room and they all coordinate well.

These are from belleandboo.