stocking up

Storing piles of miscellany on every flat surface in sight isn't a new thing for me.  Don't believe me?  Ask my partner-in-crime.  In the past few months, though, the stacks of magazines, knitting patterns, and books-to-be-read have been replaced--or at least crowded--by mounds of baby stuff.  There are cloth diapers stacked on the craft table, folded onesies and a pre-loved Baby Bjorn sitting on top of the dresser.  It's pretty messy, I'll admit.

The thing is, the mess makes me feel better.  When I look around at all the clutter, I see tangible proof that we're preparing for this tiny person's arrival.  There are lots of big, scary things that are completely out of my control right now, but piles of stuff?  That I can accomplish.  It's incredibly reassuring.

So I like that I can't use the top shelf of my closet because of the hand-me-down car seat I've crammed there.  And I don't know how long I'll really enjoy looking at the giant cardboard box in the corner of our living room, but for now, I'm happy knowing that there's a brand-new crib* waiting inside.

Now, sooner or later, all this stuff is going to start to get to me.  It may shock my man to hear that even I have a breaking point.  I'm kind of counting on that late-third-trimester nesting instinct that all the books talk about to power me through a last-minute cleaning spree.

But not yet.

*More on that mini-dilemma some other time...

For anyone keeping track, The Joy of Cooking won out as Best Reference Volume for Baby Names.  With that in mind, we are seriously considering Croquette for a girl and Poach for a boy.  (I really like Aspic, too, but it just sounds so--I don't know--dated...)

on the needles

Firstly, thank you all for the lovely reception last week.  After almost a full year away from the blogging world, it's been harder than I'd imagined to get up the nerve to dive back into things.  Thanks for your sweet words and for your excitement about the little one.

My excitement--which might be more accurately described as a mix of anticipation and anxiety--has mostly been manifesting itself as an overwhelming desire to do.  I have lists and piles and plans.  Multiple schedules and calendars.  (If this makes me sound incredibly organized, my partner-in-crime would be happy to set that record straight for you...)

While all the scrambling to stay on top of things can start to feel overwhelming, making gives me an incredible sense of accomplishment.  First, it tends to be cheaper than buying all the darling little handmades I see on the Internet.  I'm also not too shortsighted to appreciate the fact that I have more free time--and free hands--now than I will again for the next decade or so.  I'm relishing it, I promise you.

I have at least five different projects going right now.  To be honest, some of them are coming along faster than others.  My knitting skills, for instance, will always outpace my--very recently acquired--sewing abilities.

The truth is, I've been knitting for a baby--not this baby, but a baby--for years now.  More on that, maybe, some other time.  For the past few months, though, it's been wonderful being able to knit for someone in particular.  A summer baby, who probably won't need any big, chunky ski sweaters in newborn sizes but will no doubt require some protection from the unpredictable, sometimes chilly, Seattle climes.

I'm a big believer in baby leg warmers.  My diaper-changing skills might be a little rusty, but I'm pretty sure I'd much rather stick the kid in a onesie and some leg warmers than wrestle tiny legs into tiny pairs of pants every hour and a half.  I used this free pattern and some leftover Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino for this pair.  Quick and easy enough that I started a second set right after finishing the first...

Most of my knitting hours, though, have been logged on a much bigger project, The Purl Bee's Super Easy Baby Blanket.  It really has been super easy, great for zoning out on long bus rides or in front of the television.  The hardest part, choosing the colors, got a lot simpler when I put my man in charge of making the decisions.  Now, 800 some yards of Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash later, I'm still not finished, but the end is in sight.  I don't have a final result to share just yet, but here's a sneak peek at the palette:

I still have two more months of knitting time left, assuming my fingers don't balloon into sausages in the last weeks.  I haven't decided which project to tackle next.  I'm looking for practical--tiny, intricate booties are out--and straight-forward--I don't seem to have a whole lot of brainpower to spare at this point.  Any suggestions for handknits that no self-respecting tiny person can live without?  Let me know...

Speaking of feedback, while voter turnout at the polls was slightly lower than expected, 60% of you dear readers are predicting that the bun in my oven is--gasp!--a girl.  (For what it's worth, that's been my guess all along, too...)

so here we are

Two and a half pounds.  Maybe three.  It's hard to say.  One thing's for sure, though.  There is definitely a baby in there.

I probably shouldn't be quite so surprised.  After all, this whole pregnancy thing has been going on for awhile now.  I have trouble remembering exactly how long it's been, but I can tell you without hesitation that I haven't had a beer--or even, heaven help me, a full cup of coffee--since sometime last August.

But while it seems like this bun's been in the oven for a long time already, I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the idea of there being an actual freaking baby living at our house sometime in mid-May.  We started talking seriously about cribs last week, and the whole conversation felt so surreal to me that I was kind of relieved when the topic changed.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm excited.  We're excited.  We've spent a lot of time imagining and anticipating a baby in our lives.  It's just that the realization that this particular baby will soon be here is still kind of a shock.  We aren't ready.  I don't feel ready.

And so, to help me quiet some parts of my brain, I'm making this space to document these last few months of preparation, or lack thereof.  And to share the excitement with you. Maybe you're our faraway friends and family.  Or maybe you're a total stranger who enjoys a good train wreck.  In either case, I'm happy to have you here.  

I'll try to post something new every week, and while this nominally might be a baby blog, that doesn't mean I won't decide that I'd rather write about, say, food.  Or shoes.  Or the weather. If you're patient enough, there should be some good baby pictures at the end of all the babbling.  In the meantime, make yourself at home.  Post in the comments.  Vote in the polls.  Send me links to adorable baby gear.  I probably won't buy any of it, but I love to window shop...

Welcome to Babywatch 2012.