weekly bean update

this is a slightly under the weather bean update for ya as i'm not quite at 100% today...

last night i had a terrible nights sleep, and it left me feeling, well, pregnant today. tired, a little cranky, and just not quite as fabulous as i've been feeling up until now. i'm hoping it's just this one day and that tomorrow i'll be back to my normal self. we shall see...

i'm keeping this short and sweet because i still have tons to do in preparation for the big crafty this weekend, but can i just add in here how much it looks like i'm smuggling someones forgotten thanksgiving turkey under my sweater. i know i'll probably be saying this every week, but really, how can this belly still have a month of growing left?!?! i'm quite short (just shy of 5'2") so i know she doesn't  really have anywhere to go except out, but this thing is getting pretty darn impressive if you ask me. i surprise myself every time i walk past a mirror.

another side note... i've had this sweater since before i was pregnant and i only just found out the other day that you could button up the sides and make it into a little wrap. i think it looks like a funny little belly holder, and i like it!

here's to growing a healthy little baby in there!

sometimes it's the little things...

like the tiniest vintage christmas tree ever, that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

happy (cyber) monday!

i'm back... and so very happy to say that i survived the 12 hour drives to and from NY! i must admit it was a bit uncomfortable at times, being 34 weeks pregnant and all, but i'm so glad that i got to spend the holiday with my family. next time i see my brother and sister, i'll be a momma! such a surreal thing to think about, but so so very exciting too. it really is the home stretch now!

with the thanksgiving holiday behind us, it's now time for me to focus on busting out some work in preparation for this weekends Big Crafty. it will be very interesting being the size of a house, and doing a huge craft show like this. luckily evan is the best helper, and i know he'll be an amazing right hand man... and sometimes probably my left hand too. i love that man-o-mine :)

i hope everyone had just as wonderful a thanksgiving as we did, and that bellies were filled to the brim! we ate until we were stuffed, and then did it all over again with leftovers. man, i love thanksgiving!

oh and just a little side note... Monkey & Squirrel is having a Cyber Monday sale today. just my little way of saying thanks to you! just enter HAPPYHOLIDAYS at check out to receive 20% off your entire purchase. 

weekly bean update

33 weeks... yeehaw!

tomorrow morning evan and i, along with my parents, are taking the long 11 hour drive up to NY to be with my sister and brother for thanksgiving. i can't even tell you how excited i am to be with my fam. my little lady is due just after christmas, so that means i won't be seeing any of them then. my first christmas away from my family... i will be a sad preggo that day! but enough about that, for now i'm dreaming of tofurkey, mashed potatoes, blueberry pie, and quality family time. thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and just the sight of cranberry sauce gets me giddy! so i'll be gone for a few days, but i wish everyone a very happy, ideally turkey friendly, thanksgiving holiday. time to fill this baby belly with delicious treats!

see you guys soon!

a peek at the nursery...

i'll definitely be doing a full nursery tour once we've got penny's room all set up, but i couldn't help but share these few bits of decor we've got up thus far...

lots of vintagey goodness for this little lady!

oh happy day!

remember just a couple days ago when i said all i really wanted in life was to be able to make granny squares? well looky what i just completed! i introduce you to my very first ever granny square...

happy day indeed!

weekly bean update

we've got ourselves a squash baby!

and for weeks 29-32 according to the bump...

THE STATS...

HOW FAR ALONG- 32 weeks 6 days. man i'm getting these posts in just under the wire!

  SIZE OF BABY- 16.7in and 3.75lb                                

MATERNITY CLOTHES?- well non of the above outfit is maternity, but i go back and forth. this shirt used to be quite large in the midsection on me, and i actually thought it would last through my whole pregnancy. however, it now seems to be darn near stretched to capacity, so i'm thinking only another week or two for this bad boy :(

STRETCH MARKS?- none as of yet!

SLEEP?- it's amazing how little sleep one really does need to get by. i wake up to pee every hour or two, and i have a stretch between 4am and 5:30am where i just can't sleep at all. i'm surprisingly not tired during the day though. i'm constantly surprised by it!

FEELING ANY MOVEMENTS?- penny has found herself a cozy spot just under one of my left ribs that she finds especially fun to kick. i love ya to death little lady, but you're bruising my insides!

ANY CRAVINGS?- nothing really new, just still loving me some cookies!

ANY FOOD AVERSIONS?- nope

VISIBLE BUMP?- really? do you see the above pictures?!?!

BELLY BUTTON. IN OR OUT?- it's in... but barely!

STILL WEARING RINGS?- sadly no. they've moved on to a necklace. my fingers are like little sausages these days.

BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK-  it has absolutely nothing to do with pregnancy, but learning to crochet has got me pleased as punch!

WORST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- feeling like somewhat of a pregnant leper at times. i think every first time preggo goes through a period where you realize that the life you had before is now over, and you feel kinda lonely and left out. priorities shift, and though i absolutely welcome this, it's not easy to have your whole life change in a matter of a few months. being extremely weepy and hormonal on top of this is a bad bad mixture to boot! luckily evan will just let me cry to him when i'm feeling sad, old, and large, until the moment passes.

another week down... just a few more to go!

crochet school

over the years i've discovered one very important trait about myself. i need to learn a new skill at least every year. my body actually craves it, like a drug, or perhaps like a chocolate chip cookie when i'm pregnant. i find myself drooling over crafty blogs, until i settle on the one thing that just MUST be learned. (you may recall, last year it was embroidery)

well i was in one of these moods recently, and i set my target on crocheting. i've lusted after enough snazzy etsy ladies items (namely 1, 2, 3, and 4), to know that i just finally needed to get myself a hook, some yarn, and dive in! 

so yesterday i sat myself down in front of this here computer, and started with lesson one of the craftyminx crochet school. if you've ever thought about learning, i definitely recommend this series. it's a video turtorial for each day of the month of october. they're super easy to follow, and they start from the very begininning. for someone who has never even held a crochet hook, this was a must!

here are my very first stitches. one little length of chain stitch, and i was happy as a pig in poo!

and here is my first swatch. i was practicing the single crochet here. my edges are a bit rough, but apparently that is something that just gets better with practice.

i really just want to make granny squares all day long, but i guess i have to crawl before i can walk. any crochet folks out there with some tips and tricks, feel free to leave them here for this newbie. i'm just a beginner, but i'm already in love :)

christmas swoon!

i've recently become slightly obsessed with the works of Danielle Thompson, and her flickr photo stream. though some may think it's still a bit early to start thinking about christmas, i couldn't help but share this little gem. this retro festive setup just warms my insides and makes for a happy me! now i know we need a pink christmas tree, and i've got to get working on a pom-pom wreath stat!

so cute!

photo dump...

i realized today that it's been awhile since i've shared what life through the eyes of my iphone looked like lately... so have at it!

 this craving was a serious one!

 puppies behaving very well for halloween treats!

 color combos that make for a happy me :)

 penny's shelves, up and stocked!

 2 puppies snuggled under the blankets

 breastfeeding class with the mr.

 stitching new goodies. all day every day!

 my swollen fingers no longer allow me to wear my wedding ring :(

 finally found the perfect display solution for the mr's dice collection!

 stealing the last cookie

 autumn in our front yard

a night with hank williams III

and today... rainy day attire means stealing your hubby's flannel and sporting a knit hat. so very pearl jam of me.

these weeks have been busy ones with it being the final crunch time before penelope's arrival, and the shop revamp that i decided now would be the perfect time for. but we're truckin' along, and getting things done left and right. and now in true preggo fashion... i need a nap. 

later friends!

weekly bean update

holy belly batman! 

this baby is growing daily and i can definitely tell! i had my first experience with braxton hicks contractions the other day. it was exciting, and weird, and nerve wracking... but it all means that miss penny will be here soon, so bring it on! these next two months are going to fly by i'm sure. we've got thanksgiving, then i'm doing the big crafty which takes a lot of prep, then it's christmas... and then BAM... she's here! 

and now, as though she knows i'm talking about her, she's kicking me in the ribs and requesting a snack. i hear ya girlfriend... and i'm on it!

finally!

after days of computer issues, i've finally got the Monkey & Squirrel shop makeover going on in full effect! i invite you to take a little peek at what's there so far and let me know what you think...

i've still got lot's more brand new goodies to share, so be sure to check back in and see what i've been up to :)

another sneak peek for ya...

just wanted to give one more little glimpse at what the new Monkey & Squirrel will be bringing to you later today. brand new embroideries, wooden jewelry hangers, and a whole new take on my cast iron pieces will all be introduced very soon. eeeeep... can't wait to share everything!

*update* of course our computer decided that today would be the best time to go on the fritz, so now the full shop revamp will have to wait until tomorrow. a few goodies made it in today, so feel free to have a peek if you like!

weekly bean update

it's currently 1:30am, so i'll keep this post short and sweet!

i wanted to get this 30 week belly shot up before 31 weeks arrived. the weeks are flying by so fast now and i can hardly believe that we've only got 10 weeks (technically 9.5 now) until my due date. this week has been a crazy one. as i've said in previous posts, i decided that a shop overhaul was in order and i've been working my buns off repainting, reshooting, and designing lots of new goodies. this has made me one busy busy preggo. luckily i've still got boat loads of nesting energy, so this makeover is the perfect thing for me to focus it on. i think evan's probably pretty darn happy too that i'm giving him a break from home renovation projects for a bit... i love ya hubby, and don't you worry, we'll be back to home projects soon enough :)

ok now really, i've got to get me some sleep, but i'll be back tomorrow with some more reveals at all the work i've been up to. nighty night friends!