32-Week Bumpdate + GOOD NEWS!

Eight weeks left.

Where does the time go? Lately, I've found myself a bit conflicted; often I feel totally ecstatic that this baby is coming so soon. Other times I am terrified. I know what little babies are capable of. But really, what are they capable of? Sometimes I think working at a pre-school is coloring the way I feel about motherhood and childbirth. I forget that babies don't come to the world running and climbing and putting every. little. item. in their mouth. I mean, heck. They don't even have a pincer grip, let alone the dexterity and where-with-all to take a Sharpie to the sofa.

{exhale}

I am grateful that new babies kind of just lay there for a little while. I think it will be a nice change after chasing ten two-year-olds under tables all this time. Just going from ten to one ought to be kind of great. (I will miss those kiddos though.)

Additionally, I have been a little worried about the delivery as well as postpartum care. I use to be really moody before I got pregnant. It was a kind of PMS that made me feel out of control. I wanted to grapple with the universe and cry and argue when I knew there was nothing to grapple with or cry or argue about.

I have also had three or four mild depressive episodes in my life and I just don't know what to expect when my progesterone levels (which seems to be keeping me so happy right now) plummet after delivery. I am pretty worried about it and I really don't want to be a crazy person. I guess that's kind of personal. I am soliciting advice in that area, so please let me know what kept you sane during or what you would have done differently with your postpartum recoveries.

Another thing I've been thinking lately: newborns are cute. I mean really cute. I understand they might be rashy or grayish or cone-headed (haha) at the outset, but my gosh, they are still REALLY cute!

You guys, she looks like a baby! She might have hair. She has fingernails! I just get so curious about what she's doing and thinking and looking like. I think about her a lot. I am just so dang excited!

Oh! I keep forgetting to mention that we will be in Utah for TEN WEEKS this summer!!!!! Hear that friends and family?! Jeff has an internship at the University of Utah so our little family of three is heading over to our homeland, haha. :) So, if you'll be in Utah, you better hit me up and hold my baby. :)

I should do the questionnaire, too before I run off doing errands:

How far along? 32 and a half weeks
Baby is: 17-19 inches long, 41/2 to 5 pounds!
Total weight gain/loss? 15-17 pounds 
Maternity clothes? Yes.
Stretch marks? ...yes. Oh, well. :) 
Sleep? This week I have slept pretty well!
Best moment this week? The older preschool kids asking me, "Do you have a baby in you?" Every time I walked down the hallway, haha. 
Miss Anything? Not recently.
Movement? Yes
Food cravings? I don't think so
Anything making you queasy or sick? I almost tossed my cereal this morning. But I didn't!
Have you started to show yet? Yes.
Gender? IT'S A GIRL!
Labor Signs? None.
Belly Button in or out? Half out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time? A little more irritable, but happy most of the time.
Looking forward to? Moving and being done with work in two weeks!

 Have a great weekend!

Life Lately + Four-Step Burp Cloths Video

Hi guys,

Well, here I am on the couch. I feel guilty for not being super productive at present, but do you know what? I learned to sew and made a video and edited my HTML so that my blog videos are bigger. So, I am going to show you instead of do my dishes. That is just where we are today, haha.

Anyway, I made these really cute, really soft flannel and minky burp cloths! They were suuuuper easy and I cranked out four in no time and for very little money. I used this tutorial and just tweaked it slightly. Watch my video to see how I made these and then subscribe and do other YouTube things. :)

You know, I do this because I really love making pretty videos. I have really started to love sewing as well. I thought it would never really work out for me, but guess what, I have made leggings, a baby skirt, a Moby wrap, a tutu, baby bows, and an apron since January. I think I am about where I should be. 

Yay!

Well, how about an update on life? Jeff is very busy with medical school. He told me just last night that the material they covered in three weeks during last block they now cover in two. Not to mention the fact that he is not particularly loving microbiology. I guess that doesn't make all heads pop off their pillows in the morning. 

I am doing well! 

I love third trimester. I love it so much more than first trimester and even second trimester. I really love not being nauseous. I love having a giant baby bump. I love watching and feeling my baby move. I love people volunteering to do things for me, like carry a gallon of milk, haha. I mean, really. It's the coolest.

Also, we have found a place to live! We are moving into a place that is just an elevator ride away from our apartment. It is almost 300 square feet bigger and we can move in right before Spring Break. Perfect.

So, that's about it. :) I love Texas. I love America. I love You. 

Goodnight.

30-week Bumpdate

Hey, everyone.

I am 31 weeks tomorrow. Hello, that means we have a single digits number of weeks left! I am really liking this stage of pregnancy. I mostly love that you can sort of distinguish body parts when you touch my stomach! I'm not sure how accurate it is most of the time, but some parts are small and knobby--like a heel, and others are bigger and flatter. Anyway, it's sweet and exciting. 

Want to know what we are going to name her?

Riley.

Or Rilee.

By the way, Jeff did an excellent job at our impromptu photo shoot in front of our bedroom window. Much better than what I can throw together alone, haha

Here's the questionnaire:

How far along? 31 weeks tomorrow
Baby is: 15.7 inches long
Total weight gain/loss? 15 pounds (my doctor wants me to gain 30)
Maternity clothes? Yes.
Stretch marks? Not yet.
Sleep? I've reached the point where sleeping on my back makes me feel dizzy and I wake up a lot. Preparation for baby, right?
Best moment this week? "Interacting" with Riley; I.e., poking her and her poking back (or whatever she's doing in there)
Miss Anything? Range of motion
Movement? Yes
Food cravings? Tacos...We have had homemade tacos three times in one week.
Anything making you queasy or sick? No.
Have you started to show yet? Yes.
Gender? IT'S A GIRL!
Labor Signs? None.
Belly Button in or out? Still just partially out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy, but getting moodier.
Looking forward to? A baby in our house!

So that's about it. 

Also, here's a cute picture of my tomato and about a million ballpoint pins (maybe next time I'll share the project I'm working on). 

Have a great week!

Jeff + Claire's Baby Pictures

Just for kicks, I'm posting some baby pictures. I am really curious about what Baby Girl Falco will look like so I've compiled a couple of ours! I stopped after first grade because I just got awkward, haha... Anyway, enjoy! What do you think our baby will look like??

A Shamefully-Late Christmas Post

Hello.

First of all, I apologize for neglecting my blog for my real and non-cyber life. Yes, I missed primo blogging opportunities in December, January, and a week's worth of February, but hey, here I am with a post to blow your mind. Haha.

So, Christmas and New Year's were amazing. We flew back to Utah and had the best time. For one thing, after a week or so of warm-ish weather we woke up Christmas morning to a beautiful fresh-fallen (falling) snow. Some things are just so magical.

On Christmas we talked to not one, but three missionaries! Jeff's sister Skyped  from from Malawi (in the Zambia Lusaka mission), my brother Skyped from Paris, and his best friend/pseudo brother, Arturo Skyped twice from Puebla in Mexico. I am so inspired by the incredible work they are all doing. By the way, if you would like to learn more about Mormon missionaries click here.

Over the break we watched a ton on movies. My favorites were Unbroken and Into the Woods.

We had a whole bunch of family parties and a baby shower hosted by Jeff's mother Michelle. It was really great to see so many people Jeff and I love. My goodness people are generous. We are super grateful (and excited about this baby!).

So... Here are some pictures!

The Piano Guys in concert! Thanks for the great tickets, Grandma!

Making dinner with the family; more specifically, Jeff''s manly hands

I nagged my sweet husband into taking one of those prego pictures...

My MIL is an amazing chef. This is some sort of brie-crushed pineapple-coconut-almond concoction.

Cute things abound at my in-law's.  

One of my favorites...

Christmas Eve Temple Square tradition! 

I don't know what these were for, but they looked pretty cool. :)

There you go. I feel very humble as a blogger and will post waaay more regularly from now on! :)

PART-TIME!

Hello internet,

So, I am alive! I really mean I am a little more present in a cyber sense. Effective tomorrow I am done working full-time before this baby gets here. I have my life back a little! I am grateful to have some time to prepare and for those who are curious, the baby is doing well, although my doctor was the one who recommended the change. Also, if you are wondering I don't have a specified end date at work presently. Let's just say I hope to work as long as I can. I anticipate working part-time until April. We will see, of course.

Confession time: I have written a couple posts that I have saved as drafts because they are not finished. I am ashamed to have posted nothing for about two months! What kind of blogger am I? Well, a busy and distracted one, at best. I suppose I will post those soon and get my readers up to speed with what I did over Christmas break and such.

Also, I am 30 weeks! That means our baby girl is almost 16 inches long and weighs about 3 pounds. Also that means I am three-quarters of the way finished with this pregnancy! That is wonderful. So far third trimester has been pleasant. I have been a little bit sick and exhausted, but it's been a good experience.

I really don't feel that I have anything of merit to share right now considering that I ought to finish those procrastinated posts. I will say though that things are going well.

So yeah... It's good to be back!