i like giraffes.

i spent most of my day off painting a giraffe for Chewie's room. i don't know why, but i'm totally addicted to giraffes right now. Sooo cute.

go on over and check it out.

here's a teaser:

But it doesn't just end there.
I bought Chewie a stuffed giraffe to snuggle with (the giraffe that started it all), and now with a giraffe on the wall, there's also a giraffe rattle from my friend Madge, and a pair of giraffe jammies, and a little shirt with giraffes on it.

see?
that's also a shot of our new crib. my sis-in-law Melsie gave us her old crib. B-rad and i were going to repaint it, but i decided last minute that i wanted a new one. My mom is very excited that she may get to keep the old one at her house. She's so cute. When she was over last saturday, we showed her and my dad the nursery, and she picked up the little jammies and cradled them like a baby and got all gushy and adorable.

aw. mom.

also, i'd like to take this opportunity to launch my babyblog... yes, another blog by yours truly. it's just a test run for now. but i wanted to be able to keep everything baby related in one nice little package. So, if your into that kind of thing, check it out... http://little-rockstar.blogspot.com - let me know what you think, if it's rubbish, if it's awesome, if i should forget about it and mishmash it all into the divablog. give me your input, cuz afterall, it's all for you.

love laura

big fat belly update

Originally posted here at iamthedivablog.com

The factory is large.

It's true.

Here's one thing i am sick of hearing:

"You're sooo big!! and you still have 4 more months to go!! HA HA HA"

and also,

"Are you SURE you're not having twins?"

yes.

i'm sure.

and i'm aware i'm as big as a house. thanks for bringing to my attention that not only am i hippo, but that i will soon be an elephant.

thank you.

look, it's not my fault! i have a short torso! The baby has nowhere to go, but out!!

wahh.

I've been in discussions, this past week or so, with a midwife here in town. B-rad and i have been seriously contemplating a home delivery. In a perfect world i'd love to have a water birth, B-rad keeps saying "a water birth in the oceans with the dolphins " - but we don't live anywhere near an ocean, OR dolphins.

The more we talk about it, the less appealing the idea of a hospital birth is....birthing in a busy room with doctors and nurses coming and going, sterile lights and sounds, bitchy maternity ward nurses...

The idea of being in my own home with my own people, and midwife, and familiars sights sounds and smells is far more appealing.

Of course, a home delivery would only be feasible if there are no forseeable complications. So far, there hasn't been. it's all very up in the air right now, and we still have some time.

and yes, a home birth means no epidural. i'm aware. but, i mean, my mom did it four times without one, B-rad's mom did it four times without one, women have been doing it for thousands of years without them.... yes, it will hurt. it will suck. but i'll survive. besides, i'm not so sure i'd want one in a hospital anyway - especially not a learning hospital. Some studies done have indicated that epidurals may lead to complications with breastfeeding. Also, i have a lower back tattoo - and it's still medically undecided whether or not its safe to give an epidural through the ink.

okay. enough pregnancy talk.

Up Close... and Four Months

Originally posted here at iamthedivablog.com



oh and here's a more recent photo of B-rad, Chewie, and I from my mom's party.

Better than a Kick in the Face, I always say...

Originally posted here at iamthedivablog.com

Today marks the official first day of Spring.

This makes me very excited. The snow is slowly melting off my front yard - and this morning as i scraped the windows of my car i heard birds singing like crazy.

My week of insanity is almost over, and then a four day weekend for me.

But the thing that i'm most excited about is this:
This morning - first day of spring - at about 12:45 am, i felt the very first bona fide baby kick. What were we doing up at late/early? ::blush:: uhm, wrestling....yeah, that's it....

B-rad says it was a "Way to go Daddy!" kick from Chewie.

It was awesome.

B-rad tried to feel the next one, but the next one didn't come. i doubt he'd be able to feel it at this stage anyway.

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!

Baby Pool

Originally posted here at iamthedivablog.com

Okay, so i made one little comment in my last post about a baby pool and my dear friend Teeni jumped right on it and lo and behold, the baby pool game was created!! So, click on the banner up there and head over and throw down your guesses!

i'll have to think of some kind of prize, but maybe having gloating privileges is prize enough? lol

Ultrasound = Ultracool!

Originally posted here at iamthedivablog.com

My Valentine's Day was awesome.

Because the ultrasound was scheduled for 9:40 - B-rad and i didn't go in to work in the morning, which allowed for a very laid back, lazy morning... complete with morning nookie (SWEET) and as i was showering, B-rad cooked me a full on breakfast! Delicious. and there were a few cards, and a few tears. Feeling a little emotional. lol.

The ultrasound was probably one of the coolest things i've ever seen in my entire life!! i know that on the picture, it looks like a grainy black and white bean, or alien-type thing, but it's so much cooler than that. For those of you who've seen this before you know what i mean.

When the doc puts the goo on your belly (which he warmed up in the microwave, what an angel of a man) and he locates the baby.... i mean, it blew me away! There on the screen was a squirmy tiny little human being that was turning, and rolling, and moving it's arms and legs! It was so active, the Doc had to take a bunch of stills before he was able to get a good one. I mean, i knew there was something there - my growing belly is a testament to that, but there on the screen was our baby. Alive, and very active - even if i can't feel it yet. B-rad reached over and held my hand and i dropped a few tears - but mostly i found it hard not to laugh at how utterly amazing it was!

The Doc said we have a healthy 12 week old baby and gave us a picture and left. B-rad wanted a copy too, and as i was putting my coat and things back on, the doc came back in to get something. B-rad asked him if it was possible to get a copy of the photo, and the doc looked at him like no one had ever asked for two before! He didn't know what to do... so he tried hitting the print button again, and out came our Little Rock Star. So we each had a copy of the kid to show off at work.

We don't know the sex. We're not going to find out - B-rad really wants to be surprised, i wouldn't mind knowing now, but i'll wait so he can have his surprise.

There have been a few people going on record on what they think the baby will be... so far it's 2 for girl and 2 for a boy. i was considering setting up some kind of pool, but i'm not sure how to go about that, so if anyone has any brilliant ideas, let me know!

I'm off for breaky with B-rad and Muffy. We're going to pick colours for the nursery today and we'll be painting on Holiday Monday. i'll try to remember to take some before and after pics.

Happy Valentine's Day

Originally posted here at iamthedivablog.com