Prenatal to Cradle: And the Countdown Begins

We are in the single digits for weeks remaining, and I have to remind myself that the countdown is on! NO, I haven't packed my hospital bag. NO, the nursery isn't done. NO, I don't know when I'm going to stop working. NO, we haven't finished our childbirth classes (we started Monday!). But I put together the Tiny Love Tiny Princess Mobile (see right), that counts for something, right??

I am selling myself short - we have gotten a lot done in the past few weeks, thanks to Kenny's help. The crib is together, the changer is moved in, the daybed is assembled and the bed made (for a lucky houseguest this weekend), the bathroom mirror went up, and HALLELUJAH, the cabinets were finally installed yesterday and they look absolutely fantastic. Kenny and I also put together the Pack N Play, bassinet, bouncer, and swing. Tested out the baby monitor, started putting safety plugs in all the outlets (I know its early for this, but I have the time, I have the supplies, so why not?). Wow, now I do feel somewhat accomplished!

As much as I'd love to post a bunch of photos of all our projects, I kinda want to wait until the nursery is done for that WOW factor. I'll share a few in-the-works pics though (we had a special helper putting the crib together):

Mocha testing out the new digs

Saki felt left out

To reward ourselves for all our hard work, and to suppress my weather complaints, I made some delicious watermelon/mint popsicles yesterday and wanted to share the recipe with anyone else who wants to beat the heat:

Nicole's Watermelon Pops**

Approx. 5 cups cubed watermelon, seedless

Juice of one lime

3 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon honey

10 chopped mint leaves

Blend the watermelon, lime juice, sugar and honey in the blender. Then mix in the chopped mint leaves - do not blend these in. Pour mixture into 3 oz. Dixie cups with craft sticks sticking out, or if you're a fancy-pants, those tupperware-ish popsicle containers. Freeze, and a few hours later, peel the Dixie cups off and go on and on about how yummy the popsicles are and how you're not hot anymore...at least for now.

**OK, I stole the recipe from SELF magazine, but I subbed mint for cilantro and decreased the sugar content - so now it's mine. That's enough to avoid copyright infringement. Trust me, I'm a lawyer.

And here's what I look like this week (Week 32). Still not feeling gigantor but I'm getting there and packin' on the pounds. It seems that Baby Morris has settled in a position she likes - something big and round is just to the right of my belly button (butt? head?), and Kenny is still amazed when it bubbles up like a big ant hill. I feel some fluttering lower down on my left side - maybe feet? I have no idea. This is when I wish I had an ultrasound machine at home. Think of how handy THAT would be.