Nesting?

So I think this whole "nesting" concept is really weird... but all the books tell me it's "instinctual." (Although why do they call it nesting, when birds aren't mammals? Guess we won't got there.) Either way, the books tell me that I'll be doing it soon - or I'm already in the heat of it.

Steve thinks so because I had a desire to decorate the one major wall in the room that actually has some space to put some frames or stuff. I don't think that's nesting. I think that's guilt. Guilt that I'm a frugal mom and don't want to spend any money on store bought items. Guilt that I'm a loser and haven't come up with a "theme" for the nursery "area" of the room because everything I like is too expensive. However, yesterday, my friend Summer who is the craft woman extraordinaire gave some suggestions, even did some projects for me, and helped me out with some ideas for the wall. So when I actually follow through with it, I'll take a picture and send it along.

But back to nesting - I do think the "nesting" is surfacing in the way I'm thinking about the house. More importantly, the clutter in the house. In fact, I'm cleaning out lots of things. Like the utensils drawer in the kitchen. (Like we really needed 5 wooden spoons and a honey stirrer). Like the little 3-drawer plastic cart in the office that holds an array of yarn and sewing supplies. Like Steve's and my closet. Or the trunk that has sweaters we haven't worn in 5 years (well, I guess that's a climate thing, and again, I"m too cheap to let them go because we'll have to buy sweaters again eventually, right?)

I even have a book waiting for me at the library on clutter. Yes. there is such a thing. I'm just intrigued to see the "rules" on when to toss and/or donate stuff. Because we have stuff. Oh yes. Probably more stuff that we need.

However, I do think Steve is doing sympathy nesting. Thus, the vanagon and going out to it every night to clean and work on it. That's pretty awesome nesting if you ask me. ;)

Don't you dare call it a mini-van!

Meet the newest addition to the Germonski family!

A 1985 Volkswagon Vanagon weekended. Steve had an adventure on Saturday driving this back from Phoenix, AZ. Yes, folks, he went 6 hours and one state away to pick up a car. We definitely need the extra room with Speedy on the way and Scupper all over the place (I'm so worried he's going to step all over her carseat in the Honda).

This baby is going to need a little TLC, but not much, considering it's 25 years old. Yes, we DID buy a 25 yr old van. It's pretty neat though - big bucket seats, a fridge, a jump seat and bench in the back, and the bench folds down to be a bed with the way back of the van and it's practically a queen size when all said and done. It also has a little table (between the bench seat and the jump seat) and the best part of all - A POP TOP. Awesome. I can't even tell you how cool that is. For those aging hippies who read this blog, you know what that is, but for those of you that don't live with a VW nut like myself, the ceiling pops up to reveal a screened-in tent-like thing, and then a bed slides out so you have another sleeping space that's kinda like a tent in the car. And when the pop is up, you can stand up straight in the van. Pretty dang cool if you ask me.

We cannot WAIT to go camping, and mark my words, little Speedy is going to LOVE that pop top when she's 4.

Ready to pop? I think not.

So in my prenatal yoga class, the ladies and I have been bemoaning all the comments we preggo ladies get from others. "Ready to pop" seemed to be the phrase that most of us abhorred. What does that mean? Dear god, I hope she doesn't "pop" out of there... I was hoping for something a bit less dramatic. Either way, here are 3 belly pictures of me last week - week 34, ya'll. Getting close (dear god, it really is, have you seen the little ticker in the corner of this blog? I get freaked out each time I see the countdown.) Time to buy some diapers.

Waddle along with Aimee

yes. the waddling has begun. I call it a "wider stance" to support the extra weight, but most of you would call it a waddle.

ah well.

other than the now ubiquitous waddle, i have nothing exciting to report. Speedy is kicking and moving like normal and Scupper is barking and shredding stuffed animals like normal (and now he's been eye-balling the few stuffed animals on Speedy's shelf... he even whined for them last night and received a proper "no" before he trotted off in disgust).

we continue to be beleaguered by "have you packed a bag yet" and no, we actually haven't, although i suppose i should consider it this weekend. Speedy received another bag of hand-me-downs from a wonderful lady at Steve's work, and now i wonder if she's set until almost a year - wow. I even acquiesced to a very cute pink outfit - gasp! i know - pink, but it has little ladybugs all over it and it's pretty darn cute. other than that, she'll be a vision in purple at 6 months.

i guess it's time to figure out how to put the carseat in the car - you know, just in case?

Happy Birthday Scupper!

Today is Scupper's 1st Birthday! According to the shelter, he was born on March 12, and we rescued him on Mother's Day last year, so on May 12, we will have had the cutie pie one whole year.... and at that point in his short life, the next year will be vastly different, to say the least. However, while Speedy is still contained, we celebrate our first big baby... while I wouldn't say that I'd like to go through puppyhood anytime soon again (although I know newborn babyhood is coming near), it really has been a joy to watch him grow up. Rescuing a dog has been one of the great things we feel like we've done, and he's added infinite joy to our life over the past year, even if a little frustration and heartache as well.

He was a little over 10 pounds and 8 weeks old when we picked him up and now he's almost 50 pounds and still full of boundless energy. Last night he ripped off the fuzzy covers and chewed through two tennis balls in excitement. If I only had his intent with tennis balls for my dissertation... He likes apples, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower, but doesn't like green beans or lettuce. He LOVES peanut butter and the occasional dropped potato chip. He knows sit, down, stay, come, paw (on both sides!), touch, and look (two agility commands), but he doesn't come when called at the dog park. He is the best greeter when you come home from a long day, and prefers his nightly bowl of dog food with an Omega-3 fish oil capsule squirted on it. (it makes his coat really shiny and helps with dry skin). He gets the occasional stuffed animal from the thrift store, and we take bets on how long until he finds a way into the stuffing and rips its face off. his best time is 6 minutes. ;)

I have to say, we've been pretty lucky - and although I know that puppies have no problem being adopted at shelters, we'd like to think that we were a pretty good family for him to get. It was all about those big brown eyes. They pierced us to the core and we couldn't say no.

Speedy the singing frog

So you may or may not remember the Singing Frog from the Warner Bros. cartoons...
Ring a bell now? Wikipedia tells me that his name is officially "Michigan J Frog" but all I remember is that the whole set-up of the cartoon was that he sang for his owner, but whenever the owner wanted to show him off, he would sit like a normal frog and just say "Ribbit." When the person would leave, he would dance around and sing "Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal...." (again, Wiki says that he sang more than that, but that's the one i remember).

Regardless, we have come to call Speedy the singing frog. Whenever she is jumping around inside, I put Steve's hand on my belly and I'm like - did you feel that? And then she stops. Go figure.

Well, the past few days, she's been the singing frog with me as well. Not a lot of movement in there - in fact, Speedy was not being so speedy. So I finally called the midwife hotline today (very awesome thing by the way - they call you back within 5 minutes of leaving a message with the dispatcher and answer any question. It's great!) Anyway - she hasn't been moving a lot, so I was a bit concerned and called them. "Come down to labor and delivery and we'll check you out." Are you sure? I'm not being that 1st time mom that is neurotic? Nope. So I headed to the hospital, a bit nervous... was hooked up to a snazzy beast of a machine that monitors fetal heartrate and movement and after drinking 10 ounces of cranberry juice, Speedy was back to being Speedy again. Darn singing frog. The midwives also did a sonogram to test her fluid levels to make sure she still has lots to swim around in, and those levels were good as well.

As I walked to the parking garage a hour and a half later, I called Steve - he was a bit nervous waiting for my call at work and all I said was "She's a freaking singing frog." He began to laugh with lots of relief.

I also got a bonus tour of the birthing center before I left. What a great place. Four poster queen size beds, rocking chairs, and big tubs are in every room. Lots of windows and light - and even though they are in a hospital, they have a homey feel. They promote immediate skin-to-skin contact and I can even wear my own clothes and no stupid hospital gown. Woohoo. (although she did request that if Steve wants to sit in the warm tub with me to hold me up, he had better be wearing a bathing suit. ;)

Anyway, that was the excitement for today. Now I'm supposed to religiously do kick counts every night (at least 10 in an hour). The best part is that the midwives were so nice, and told me that if I came everyday because I was worried that would be ok. Which was nice of them to say, but I do think they would get a little annoyed with me if I came everyday. ;)

Insert foot in rib cage

or knee, or elbow or other body part....

I actually wish I knew which ones they were, but they are certainly becoming more apparent as the days go by. This whole pregnancy thing has been a whirlwind - and each day I am amazed by what this little girl inside me is doing. I mean really, do we stop and think enough about how freaking crazy it is?? I dunno. I guess I was waxing poetic yesterday when I was thinking about it in my prenatal yoga class, surrounding by 9 other women at different stages.... one with twins... one who was "due on Saturday...." many of whom who were just in the beginning, which seems not that long ago for Speedy and I.

Lately, I can feel that she's curled up on the right side of my body - my belly looks all uneven - Steve looked over at me the other night on the couch as we were listening to some new music a friend let us borrow (the Asylum Street Spankers - a music/vaudeville troupe and WAY fun) and he said, wow, you look lopsided. and indeed i did. I keep wondering, is her head I'm feeling? a little butt? If I feel cramped, how must she feel? I mean, the fetal position feels great and all, but for 8 more weeks?

There are a few friends of Steve's at the shop that have kids, and they were talking yesterday... Have you packed a bag yet, they asked? Steve was like, um... we haven't even rearranged the office yet. Pack a bag, Bill said. Put lots of things in there that make her comfortable, and "whatever you do, don't even think about leaving the delivery room for some food. Bring snacks or have a friend stop by. My friend left for 5 minutes to get a snack because all the nurses told him he needed a break and the baby was born and his wife still hasn't forgiven him." Maybe we'll have to add some peanut-butter crackers and trail mix to the hospital bag. :) However, we did muse upon what would "make me comfortable." I told Steve I would like him to put together a music mix, but he's not sure what i'm going to want to listen to - "what if you really want something mellow, and it's the Rolling Stones? What if when you're pushing all you want is AC/DC and the next song is bluegrass?"

AC/DC? Um, probably not. Although there is a Humble Pie song that makes me laugh... yah, pulling out the random 80s hair band... do any of you out there actually know Humble Pie? Te he... they make me laugh.

If you have any suggestions for the filling of "THE BAG" let me know - or music for that matter. Now if we can just decide on a name...