35 weeks.

Puppy.

A very round, quite adorable, chocolate-brown Doberman.  A sweetheart through and through. 

Shelving.

My dear Rafa has never quite understood the mentality behind blogging, reading blogs, and status updates on Facebook. “Why do they really care?  Why do you really care to know what someone ate for dinner last night?!”  he questions with a grin and a shake of his head. 

Recently, we have been reorganizing, de-cluttering, simplifying, and marking projects off our to-do list, cause as you may know there will be a little person coming to live with us in about three months.  Our house is new, and was built {like most homes here}  without cabinets, closets, or storage space.  I like it because it makes you keep only the things you use and become creative whenever you do not have something you think you need.  Most of our belongings we keep in suitcases or crates on the floor.  That works for a young married couple in a new home, but when you think about a baby and all his things moving into that, you realize you need a more permanent solution. 

One of our projects has been shelving. We worked on it over several of Rafa’s lunch breaks and finished up last week.  As we were finishing Rafa said, “Now this is something you should put on your blog!”  So here it goes…

I do not have any before pictures, but here is the space at the very beginning of the project.  It is a corner between our bathroom and back doors. 

And then our after pic…

One day we may get cute little matching boxes or baskets for everything, but for now we are quite pleased with the result.  It serves it’s purpose and does not look half bad! And in the process of organizing everything, we were able to get rid of a lot.  The only thing left sitting on the floor now is a suitcase for each of us with our clothing in it. 

It is great {and economically friendly} being married to a guy who knows how to make an idea come to life with a few handy tools.  And I thoroughly enjoy being his assistant! 

The Day God Gave me a Chicken…

I have wanted hens for a long time now.

But there was always one thing and then the other…Apartment living,  no closed in yard space, going out of town, then the cold season. Then there is the list of a million other things that are more important than chickens that we hope to accomplish before Baby D makes his arrival.  Building a chicken coop, buying chicks, and all that while desired where put on the back burner. 

Until a couple of weeks ago.  Rafa came home from work for lunch with a cardboard box.   A hen was inside!   She “just-so-happened”  to show up at the shop where he works. And wouldn’t you know?  She has been quite faithful in her egg laying duties.  She is calm, does not destroy things, and clucks occasionally, but other than that you would have know idea she was around. 

I know that she was a sweet gift from God.  A just-because-I-love-you gift.  I smile and give thanks every time I step outside to see her or pick up a still warm brown egg. 

“…Every good and perfect gift comes from above…”

Peach-y

Nothing like a little oatmeal and milk to go with your peach!  {BTW oatmeal with any variety of toppings has been a favorite these past several weeks.  Inexpensive, easy, warm, versatile, and healthy! Both mom and baby are happy!}

Last Week

Last week was an exciting, milestone setting week baby-wise in our home.

~Monday:  I went to the open-air market for the sole purpose of hunting down baby clothing.  Used clothing from the States is piled in categories on tables and you dig looking for treasure.  And treasure we found.  Adorable, mostly name brand, good condition, clothing for the first several months of our little guy’s life in the outside world.   My suegra graciously offered to {hand}wash all the clothing.   I went to her house a couple of days later to find every item we had bought {and then some} clean, smelling lovely, and ironed.  Yes ironed.  To say she is an excited grandma would be an understatement!

~Throughout the week: Rafa has been spending his lunch break to work projects around the casita to make it more functional, baby-friendly and cozy….so glad I am married to a man who is practical minded and good with tools!   I too have been sorting through stuff, organizing and cleaning using the motto, “When in doubt, do without.” Simple and homey is what we are going for!  But it does seem that with each project we accomplish we add three more to the list…

~Friday:  We went for a routine check-up. The baby is now completely formed and all the parts look the way they should and are where they should be!   He just needs a few more weeks to grow.  The doctor says there is no reason to believe that we will not have a smooth, uncomplicated delivery with a healthy baby boy at the end.  Music to our ears!  According to current calculations he should be in our arms sometime around May 3rd!

~Saturday:  I went to the fruit and vegetable stand to pick up a couple things.  The lady who works there, looked at me for a long minute and asked “Are you pregnant?!”  {Gotta love Mexican bluntness.  Where I am from, when in doubt about a woman being pregnant or not, it is best NOT to ask.}  Guess that means that I am actually showing a bit now?! {At 25+ weeks it was about time!}  I was thrilled she asked and even more thrilled to say yes!  

~ One night last week, I looked at Rafa and said, “We are going to have a baby!   An actual real person!”  Yes, the reality is setting in more and more each day and we love it!  Looking forward to the weeks to come and the milestones they will hold!  

Pregnancy

A post I wrote, but never published a few months ago.  Looking back it is humorous and honest, so I thought I would share. 

 

Its 12 noon and I am still in bed wrapped up in a bathrobe.   I have just now forced yogurt down my throat.  Just the thought of food, opening the fridge door, or washing dishes makes me want to hurl.   And any minute now I will take a break from writing to do just that. I don’t even think about what’s for lunch until it is time to prepare it.  What used to be a delight is now THE dreaded chore of the day.  Today I am taking Rafa to the center of town and treating him to whatever his little heart desires!  

And the emotions!   I keep trying to sort them all out.  But then I wonder, should I even attempt that?  Would it not be best to wait to read myself emotionally until after our child is in our arms?  The only thing that I am consistent at emotionally right now is being inconsistent.  My dear husband will look at me tenderly and ask me what is going on (with me emotions-wise) and I do nothing but fall into his arms and say “I don’t even know!!”  Then there are some times that I want to cry, but I can’t.  And whenever I don’t want to cry, however, the tears come pouring. 

I wake up for no apparent reason at least five times a night, and when the alarm goes off in the morning I am more exhausted then when we placed our heads on our pillows the night before.  But I have found sleeping after Rafa leaves nearly impossible, special thanks to the construction workers.  So I rest.  Sometimes drifting in and out of sleep, but most of the time day dreaming, reading, or praying. 

As I told my mom last night, I feel like a mentally healthy person in a deformed body.  There is so much I want to do….be productive, make new friends, explore the neighborhood, decorate our sweet home….but between the lack of energy and throwing up, it just does not happen. 

And then people ask you how you are doing. How are you supposed to answer that?  I for one used to judge pregnant ladies who always had something wrong.  And I fear that if I say anything besides “Better than I deserve!!” {Which is SO true BTW} EVERYTHING will come pouring out, especially if it’s an understanding person.