Every Flower's Got a Right to Be Bloomin!

That's a line from a song my super sister-in-law sent me and I can't get it out of my brain. I have been noticing all of the green and flowers popping up everywhere and it is so exciting because I'm going to be popping soon too!! Oh, and I love my macro lens:)

Melon Eating Melon

37 weeks completed - began week 38 today.... Starting to feel like a giant pod in a sci-fi movie.
Craig calls me "The Mother Ship."

Party Toes!

In my line of work I am never able to have a "color" on my toes. It's always "nude" so as not to clash with clothing. Beige and boring. SO, one of the lesser joys of pregnancy was going to be the fact that I could get my nails painted any color I wanted. This was the theory. The reality is that my feet have been so puffy that they don't even look like my feet! And it doesn't matter if you paint your ham hocks - they're still ham hocks!! So I gave it all up and have been au natural the whole time (probably better for my nails anyway...) But for the delivery I decided to do something special. The end result, we have a real celebration happening south of my knees - Zero Birthday Party Toes!! (Feel pretty silly posting toes, I mean, there IS a stupid, endless war going on.)

Babies, We

This is one of 4 baby pictures that exist for me - this being the official hospital one. I think I look rather suspicious.
Craig and Matt - I'm sure someone has better newborn pics of these little guys, but it's the only one I have. They were preemie and so tiny. Not sure who is who - Craig isn't home, so I can't ask.... My guess is Craig is in blue. Anyone know for sure?

29 Days and Counting!!!

And that's if we go on time. Apparently, 95% of all babies are born either before or after their due date. I suggest we have a date pool. Everyone guess what day they think she will decide to come and the winner gets a baby! No, I have to keep the baby. The winner gets ice cream!
Basketball, anyone? We'll be the ball.

Food - My Friend, My Enemy

Everyone knows that pregnant women can be ravenous eaters. We are warned not to go crazy and make healthy choices. This works for me about 65% of the time. For the other 35% I go whole hog. This has meant macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets (never before liked these), ranch dressing (not since I lived in Texas!), KFC (wtf!?), and a tradition I did not dare repeat in this last trimester - Trimester Sundaes! That meant once for the the first and second trimester Craig and I went to the store and got all the fixings for hot fudge sundaes and then ate them every night till it was all gone! Woohoooo! I have had a serious sugar fetish with this baby. I have vowed to make better choices this last month out of sheer pain. The other night I had 4 slices of pizza and was absolutely miserable for 12 hours straight. Pain. The Great Motivator. No matter, she's coming out soon and then watermelon season begins! Here is a picture with me doing what I love - gettin' down with some carrot cake!

Woodstock Mama

I went to Woodstock to visit my friend Marni and her son Jack Frances. I had always just gone to the town center, but this time I finally got to see the Woodstock that everyone raves about. She and her husband are rennovating a 19th century farm house on 20 acres in Mount Temper - Jealous! She was also one of the first women I shot for my maternity photography business and I hadn't seen her since she was 8 months pregnant. It's amazing to watch your friends turn into Mamas.

Part of The Deal?

From what we can gather already, part of having a child is having to "assemble" things. This can be a frustrating process (notice Craig's face.) I mean, who writes some of these directions?
Also, why do you have to have 43! twists tyes anchoring down one little toy to its carboard box? The warning signs all over everything really messes with the aesthetic (ONE underneath a product would be sufficient.) And my biggest complaint this week - why do I feel I am being held hostage by the product logo. I don't buy labels for myself and certainly don't want these names embroidered all over my baby's stroller and other stuff. I need a bigger seam ripper.

We Got Wet.

And how! These photos don't really do it justice, but we got dumped on this past weekend on Wilkenson Hollow. Our road was washed out since we are in the valley all the water came rushing down on both sides. We got off pretty light, a bit of a drag - especially if you know our history with water and houses.

Can you tell where the bridge used to be?
I even think the daffodils made it, yay!

Sympathy from Luke

This is Luke, our little friend who has shoved several of his stuffed animals up his shirt in solidarity with me.... The look on his face is totally believable, no?

34 Week Belly

MY Easter Egg and a sleeping Murray....

Tea for Ten and Ten for Tea

The final Baby Extravaganza happened yesterday at Lady Mendl's Tea Salon. Hosted by my stepmother-in-law Lisa, it was the perfect place for a very New York baby shower... It was so beautiful that it was hard to leave. The tea itself was amazing, then there were little sandwiches, scones with creme and jam (YUM) and then dessert started:) A twenty-layer (Jana counted) crepe and creme fluffy cake, then on to chocolate covered strawberries and lemon cookies.... The gifts were beautiful, many and much appreciated. Lisa, herself practically cleaned out what was left of our registry. I think there is a thermometer left to buy.... We are lucky to have all of you in our lives - thank you!!! If anyone got great photos, please send them to me (I know someone got one of me hamming it up with that stroller Lisa's sisters got us!)

Lisa's creative cuteness - the glitter at the bottom is a puddle she's jumping in:)Tea Pots!
This picture is really dark, but I know Lisa got a better one of this so I will repost when I can get a copy...
Lauren thinks my belly is the best back rest:)
I am very grateful for the gift and also a little freaked about having to attach this giant machine to my breasts!
Craig drove me, Melissa and Kati Mac down from upstate and had lunch with his Pop while we were getting "crazy with the baby".
This Buddah is right inside the door as you come in and is exactly how I feel about my big ole' belly!

All Our Beds

Over at The Plump Otter (see links), Annie is doing a photographic study in beds and so here are ours...

This is great because I have actually been meaning to post a picture of "U-gene" my new fluffy boyfriend who is shaped like a U and helps me sleep comfortably. Craig HATES him.
The guest room where I have been sleeping sometimes because it is softer.
Murry's totally furry bed.
And finally, the baby's co-sleeper covered in stuff till it makes it's way into our room in a couple weeks.

Speaking of Zoo Animals

I feel like this these days....

two otters- for matt and annie

Otters holding hands




We think of you as zoo animals.-Craig

Pagan Fertility Maypole Party

I don't really need help with being fertile right now and it was April 1 not May 1 (that would would be too close to the due date), but no matter Kelli and Edison (her Boston Terrier) really know how to throw a party! I know, how many baby showers can one baby have? The answer is they are "baby celebrations" and as many as possible!

Starts out pretty normal - 8 nice girls in a nice apartment
Many gifts of cuteness to include Pregnant Paper Dolls (my favorite is the third trimester doll with the bathrobe, meat cleaver and mis-matched socks)
The maypole dance (thanks, Connie!) about to begin...
Starts to get really wacky with some impromptu maypole limbo-ing...
The homemade sacrificial lamb cake (notice the look of pagan-mania on Kelli's face - oh, and the pacifier in the lambs mouth!)
Edison having a "ball" - He got his own sacrificial lamb doll that he tore to pieces in 10 seconds
The after party - rocking out to Patti Smith's G-L-O-R-I-A and getting cuckoo with the Yerba Mate' tea (the drink of health and friendship in Argentina)

People are C-R-A-Z-Y

On the way to my friend Kelly's for the Pagan Fertility Party on Sunday, I came upon a West Village phenomenon that still blows my mind. Is it a concert? A book signing? Nope, just crazy people standing in line around the block for a Magnolia cupcake.... They seriously are not even that good.

Aw, Not Evergreen!

This place - my home away from home - The Best Damn Video Store, Period - Evergreen Video on Carmine Street will be closing it's doors for good in June. Poop. Not that I will be in the City that much from here on out, but still. I have enough change happening in my life and you all know that it is all about meeeeeee.