jocole logo

i'm sure you're wondering what logo i decided on ... since i haven't updated after adding the poll. i was surprised by how many people voted ... 37!! sheesh i didn't know that many people follow my blog, since i've never received that many comments. for those of you who were curious as to the results ... here they are!

before i even posted the poll i was already pretty much set between #2 and #3 and then before the poll closed i decided on #3. i think it's interesting that design won ... although that isn't why i chose it. thank you to everyone who voted!!

belly thoughts

here are some random thoughts about this pregnancy:

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#2 likes to be on the right side on my belly, which often makes it lopsided! seriously ... if you push on the left side of my belly it is soft, and the right side is as hard as a rock.

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i've gained 20 pounds so far, and the circumference of my waist is 38 inches (and growing).

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my favorite compliment lately: "you don't look pregnant, except from the side" or "you can't tell you're pregnant from the back" ... meaning i've only gained weight in my belly (or that's how i take it anyways) i've been lucky enough to not gain any weight in my ankles or face or anything. i just have a little basketball under my shirt ... hehe!

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#2 isn't much of a kicker ... she's more of a pusher, or a stretch and hold it kind of gal.

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robby is still holding tightly to that 20% that it's a boy. he thinks the ultrasound technician was incompetent, and tells me if he starts laughing histerically in the delivery room ... then it's a boy.
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i've had 2 UTIs so far ... luckily it never progressed to my kidneys like it did when i was pregnant with aidan -- THAT was painful, and i had to be on antibiotics for the remainder of my pregnancy.

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i only threw up a total of 8 times!! huzzah!

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aidan loves to hug and kiss my belly ... and try to stick pacifiers and cheerios into my belly button!!

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i take 9 pills everyday: (1)iron (2)magnesium (3)calcium (4)fish oil (5+6)cranberry [for the UTI] (7)mega antioxidant (8)chelated minerals (9)tylenol

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i had a doctors appointment on wednesday (9/10) and my doctor is REALLY concerned with my blood pressure, and i now have to take it twice a day (which meant i had to go out and purchase a blood pressure monitor). if my blood pressure is still high at my next appointment (monday 9/15), she'll want to deliver #2 that day. YIKES! keep me and baby #2 in your prayers!!

introducing ... craftivision

i LOVE looking up tutorials and how-tos for various crafts and diy projects ... i've decided to share them all with you in one easy location!! i've created craftivision ... my new blog which will be a source of projects and inspiration. check it out ... it will be updated OFTEN (i'm gonna try for a new project every weekday)!!

an outfit for #2

so i was really bored on saturday night ... but i didn't feel like cleaning or re-organizing anything (i needed a break!) ... i needed a creative break!

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so i drafted up some patterns ... finished completely demolishing the shirt that i started to cut up for caleb's pants ... and here is what i came up with ... i think it's pretty darn cute!!

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i think it's great that out of 1 t-shirt i got a pair of pants, a dress and a diaper cover!! i also think i could get a pair of booties ... but i haven't tried to cut those out yet ... maybe tonight after aidan goes to bed.

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the ruffles on the butt of the diaper cover came from the same fabric i used to make this and this.

are you bored of my sewing madness yet??

welcome to my nest

ahhh ... i'm totally nesting ... i guess it was bound to happen since i only have 4 more weeks until #2 is due to pop out.

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WARNING: the before pictures are scary ... and quite frankly i'm a little embarrased to post them, but how can i show you how much i accomplished otherwise? you've been warned.

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things i accomplished this week(in no particular order) -- yeah for LONG naps (for aidan) and late nights (for me):

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10 loads of laundry (washed, dried and put away) (3 loads of towels, 1 load of aidan things, 4 loads of whites, 2 loads of darks)

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4 loads of dishes (washed, dried and put away)

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my bathroom completely cleaned and reorganized. (i had to move all my makeup and hair stuff onto the counter because aidan thought it was the funnest game to empty my makeup drawer (the LONG skinny drawer) -- and hide products, some of which are still missing -- even after what the next part of my plan was!!!!!)

after i showed robby the bathroom ... i mean c'mon people i was pretty proud of it ... he commented, "but the question is, how long will it stay like this?!" ... OOOOO ... motivation, now i have to prove him wrong, so i'm gonna try to keep the counters clutter free!!
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next ... my bedroom completely cleaned and reorganized. there were just piles of CRAP everywhere (i've noticed i have WAY too much clothing, maybe after #2 pops out i'll try to get rid of some of it!!) ... where in the world was #2 gonna sleep? so it needed to be done. i think it looks a million times better, and i'm really proud of all that i accomplished.
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this is the left side of our bed ... yikes!! when i got out of bed after it was all cleaned it immediately brought a smile to my face, what a great way to wake up in the morning!!

this is the right side of our bed! (the storage bins now hold all the clothing that i want to go through -- 3 of them (i have a stack of 3 more on top of those ... waiting for organizing baby things), and 2 of them (on the left) hold knit clothing that no longer fits robby or me and will be turned into other things via my trusty serger!!)

when aidan woke up this morning and ran into my room to play, he was disappointed when he saw the bins ... he couldn't get into anything anymore. poor kid!! haha! those 2 rolling drawer carts hold all of what we have for #2 right now. organized and ready to clothe her when she pops out!! now all we need is something in here for her to sleep in. and i'm gonna try to get robby to move the changing table back into our bedroom, hopefully that happens on saturday.
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i also reorganized my closet ... i know it doesn't look like much, but believe me ... its WAY better. before i had piles of madness in front of it, it was hard getting to the clothing actually in the closet, and i moved things around. (sorry ... no before pictures, but i'm sure you're scared enough as it is) i think this configuration will work well. the top shelf is all my purses (yikes ... i have a bunch!) the second shelf has my pants and my boots. then on the left side of the closet hangs my skirts (on 4 tier skirt hangers, from target ... LOVE them!!), then dresses, then my shirts, and then i have a hanging thing that holds my shoes (tennis shoes, slippers and flip flops!) and then under my shirts i have 2 rolling drawer carts that hold my undergarments, socks, swimsuits, lingerie ... etc. and this is behind my bedroom door, i LOVE this. my nice (church) shoes all lined up in the pockets and my jewelry ready to be worn. it makes me soooo happy! this is front of robby's side of the closet. as you can tell it needs reorganizing, but i'm leaving that to him (well at least i'm hoping he'll take care of it!)

this is my pile of laundry that still needs to be done ... YIKES!! (this pile has since shrunk since i took the picture ... but there are still probably 3 more loads to do -- definately more managable)this is on top of rob's dresser ... it just seems to accumulate all kinds of crap!!! (all of which is mine ... not his)our headboard ... another dumping ground!!

tiny recycled/reconstructed baby clothes

look at what i made for baby caleb. tiny 0-3 month clothes ... when i showed the outfit to robby the little booties were his favorite. i mailed it off to caleb (care of his momma: nicole). she promised to take pictures and pass them along -- which she did (isn't he adorable?!). the outfit looks soooo comfy i wish it was in my size and i would lounge around the house in it everyday!!

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i love the giant pocket on the front of the shirt, the red shirt i cut up had it and i thought it would be perfect for the shirt. i don't know what it could be used for (to hold a pacifier, maybe?) but i love it anyways. and i love the booties ... i think the part that covers the toes needs to be a little longer (so it reaches the ankle) ... but i really like how everything turned out.

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jealous? want some of your own? hold your horses ... i'm still tweaking patterns and testing designs. i'll let you know when stuff is up for sale in my shop.

can you tell i'm loving my new serger? (i've pretty much convinced nicole that she wants one too ... i'm going to let her borrow one to see if she likes it)

what would you do?

what would you do if you were home all alone and bored out of your ever loving mind?

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i'll tell ya what i would do ... i would get out random flannel from my stash and make a pile of receiving/swaddling blankets for #2 and matching burp cloths. (9 blankets and 18 burp cloths to be exact). the blankets measure around 35"x37" and the burp cloths are 8"x18".

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isn't that what everyone does when their husbands leave them to go play video games, and the kid is asleep and there is nothing good to watch on tv??

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hmmmm .... no? ... just me?

(the blankets are LARGE ... i took pictures of them folded in quarters)