10.89

Guess what you guys (and by that, of course I mean Rocky, my only loyal reader), my baby is all but 11 months old.  I know what you're thinking, and yes, I do think I deserve a medal for keeping him alive and in such great condition. Or maybe a cookie. Thank you. Here are some fun things we have done in the month of July. (Yes, I am well aware I haven't written anything since April, so you will have to backlog on a different form of social media to remind yourself of the glory that was May and June.)

We went to the cabin on Lake Minnewaska and Dane wore these cute pj's. (Jamma Jamma Jamma Jamma Jamma PJ!)

He also learned how to play bags. And showed how on trend he was by wearing a boy tank top. Technically a boy tank top romper, which I really hope catches on with the larger male set. Do you hear me, Chase? Make it happen.

What's better than climbing stairs I ask you? Nothing. I'll tell you what's worse though, trying to go back down. How dare you try to teach me valuable life skills that could prevent concussions and even death, Mother? (I am the worst.)

Dane rides fairly contentedly in this lovely jogging stroller for some hours each week. It has been super great to go on family runs and we have enjoyed a slightly cooler summer, which makes my little overheating self ever so grateful. 

Sometimes I pause on family bike rides to try to capture cute pictures of him down by the river with these really cool weeds flowers that I love. How many years do you think he'll put up with my shenanigans? I hope with all my heart that he learns early on that it's best to just smile for the photos and get it over with like his father has. Lead by example, Mikel. 

The Oswego Community Pool has been a Headrick Hotspot all summer! Danger loves the ability to crawl into and out of the pool. Splash around and repeat. 

This week we are working on adding 2 new teeth to our 4-tooth set.  Sometimes we cry about this. And sometimes our mom takes a picture of our sad little dimple butt. 

And finally, the walking. It's starting! He can cruise and turn in all different directions with this puppy. Also, 10 whole independent steps. Still a nervous nell to embark on his own, but pretty cool to see him learning this skill that all abled-leg persons can perform. Milestones, people. Milestones.

I'm a classy, classy lady

I am not as classy and refined as I might like. There, I said it.  In most cases, this bothers me not. I am born and raised in Morris, MN after all, and generally am content and happy with what is easy and cheap. But sometimes, every so often, I like to try to fake it. You know, when we are, say, at a nicer restaurant than Chipotle or if I should happen to be shopping at Crate & Barrel for a bridal shower gift, as I was tonight. I don't feel I'm asking for the moon in these situations, just to maintain a little dignity, potentially fit in with the fancy Geneva folk and, if at all possible, NOT have my sweet boy destroy his Blackhawks outfit in a shit storm. But like I said, I'm not classy. And neither is my boy. Get used to it, Crate & Barrel.

What, Mom? I'm just producing a ridiculous amount of waste for a shrunken human while sitting in this fantastic chair we can't afford. It's fine.

Sidenote: If there is something I love more than baby jeans, I don't know what that is. Maybe goat cheese. 

Oh hi.

Hey, guess what? I had "Vulture." In August. It's April. Turns out being a mom is time consuming. I'm a little bummed I haven't forced myself to post all the little joys for posterity's sake, but I didn't and there's no use going down the twisted path of "shoulda coulda woulda" because, let's face it, I'm a life-long procrastinator and we could be here awhile listing my plethora of short falls.

So here's stuff that has happened in the last 7 months. In no particular order. Because I'm not great at computers and I give up trying to get the pictures in the correct order. This boy is such a delight and we are enjoying every moment with him.

Dane Raymond was born 8.29.13 at 6:43 a.m. after 21 hours of labor. Totally worth it.

I put Dane in a box. A lot. He liked it, I think.
 6 days old

Dane slept through a couple photo shoots, like this one at 3 months.

Dane wore this pilots hat a lot.
Here's the first of many snows his first winter.

We made our family acting debut on Christmas Eve.
Dane played "Giant Jesus."

Dane and Sven welcomed in the New Year
and wished Grandma Ruth a happy birthday.

Dane cheered for Peyton Manning in the Superbowl. It didn't help...

I plunked my baby in a snowbank for the sake of a photo op.

"Bane" is not a fan of pacifiers.

Happy to visit with Uncle Chase and Grandma and Grandpa Rambow in April.
7 months

He appears to love hats and sunglasses.
Appears.

Target is awesome. 

Baths are awesome.

Swings? Eh.

St. Patty's. 6 months.

Brothers.
3 weeks old

Badda bing

The nursery is finished! And "just in time" as I am due on Friday. Of course, if you talk to my Mom, there's no way I'll have my baby before then, on that day or even the few days afterwards, just not in our family history. However, optimistically, she has booked a flight to arrive in Illinois exactly one week from today, so here's hoping the baby's not TOO far past the due date, lest she come all this way to hang out with Sven. Actually, scratch that, here's hoping the baby comes tomorrow. It IS a full moon and I've heard that is good news for babies. Plus then the baby would be born on both Mike's Grandma Ellen's birthday and my sister and her husby's anniversary. BADDA BING.

So without further ado, here is the finished nursery! The super plush fantastic rocker has arrived, as has the Etsy-commissioned lyric art and the custom designed elephant art, specially made by a one, Jessica Scurte. I am quite pleased with the results and find myself spending time rocking by myself in the nursery. Now all I need is the baby!

Crib, rocker, hand made blankets by H and Jan, and super fab ele art! 

Bookshelf with miscellaneous baby supplies

The Lyric Art

And finally, the baby announcement art.
Can't wait to get Christina the information for this final piece!

Letters to Papoose: #3

Dear Vulture Baby,

I don't know exactly what you are doing in there that causes middle-of-the-night calf cramps, but can we be done? The one last night was excruciating and I was beginning to wonder if there would be a time in life I would ever not be in pain. Is this what labor is like, but instead of in my calf it's in my hoo-haw? I gotta say, if it is, maybe you just hang out in there for, like, ever.

Love, Mama Bird

p.s. While we're at it, I know it's getting a little crowded in there, but Mama needs her ribs for important functions like protecting my lungs and supporting my thoracic vertebrae. If you could work on not trying to break them into tiny pieces with your kicks and tushy thrusts, that would be great. You're the best.

Nursery Update

Much progress has been made on the nursery! In the last few weeks I have:

Purchased a bookshelf and a side table.

Something within blogger alters the image to be more squat and wide. Actual bookshelf much larger.
Side table not pictured. White. Boring.

Ordered the best rocking chair in the world.

Actual color, grey, but you get the idea. You can't fully grasp the comfort from the photo.

And FINALLY finished assembling the dresser!

Living room rug added to room for measurements. See below for the Decision: Rugs 2013
Also notice the crib has a lovely "skirt" Jessi helped me construct from re-purposed curtain remnants. And of course when I say "helped" I mean "constructed solo while I chatted with her and peeled stickers off the bottom of the crib."

We have also crafted our patented room organizer chart wherein we measure the room and all of the furniture in it and make a to-scale diagram. It is uber handy in finding optimum furniture placement with minimal back-breaking pregnant lady furniture moment. It also taught me a life lesson: Don't put up a photo on facebook of said organizer chart unless you really want people to think you don't know how to arrange a room. It's sad that people think I would actually place my baby in the center of the room, but they sure did. I suppose I should take that as a comment on my decorating ability. So noted.

Note: Said "changing table" was actually to be a refinished dresser, but is now being scrapped.

With the help of said organizer, I think we are going to forego refinishing the existing dresser we had in the room to act as a changing table and simply buy a step stool for me to use the main dresser. I have also been advised by many a mama that I will most often just change the baby on the couch or the floor or what have you. So, problem solved, less work to be done!

So like I said, the room is really starting to come together. We just have one final piece: a RUG. (Well and then artwork, but Jessi said I need to have a rug for her to pull colors from first, so there you go. It pays to befriend a designer!) I found one that I loved at West Elm, but it was more than I wanted to pay and then I found out I couldn't see it in person at a store and had to pay an additional $30 to ship it! This lead me to overstock.com last evening and boy did I find some neat rugs. Added bonuses come three-fold: 1. they all have customer reviews 2. free shipping and 3. reasonably priced! So now I need help choosing! Please comment with your favorite rug. If you are viewing this on your ipad and can't comment, please text me.

Rug 1

Rug 2

  

Rug 3

  

Rug 4

Rug5

  

Rug 6
I could not get the picture to work, so please view it here.

And finally, me at 28 weeks:

Fatty.

Flashback jokes to 2002

Who's got two thumbs and just passed her glucose test? THIS GIRL (points to self with thumbs)!!!

I am nailing the start of the third trimester. That's right, officially in the last of the trimesters. Bring it. (Until I have to start thinking about labor, #1 most dreaded part of pregnancy. But we don't have to think about that yet, right? Right. Savor today's victory, I say.)

And for the record, it was the latter.