Future Baby Gifts

I've been quite busy today! Not only did I make homemade granola from my new Smitten Kitchen cookbook, I made homemade frozen Greek yogurt! It is delicious, especially with the granola on top. Speaking of delicious, I am loving this quilt. Working on it has done wonders for my outlook. I've felt so much more positive about the whole trying to conceive process with just one project. Before this project, my idle mind was plagued with thoughts such as:

What's my BBT? (basal body temperature)

Am I getting a cyst again? 

What does that ___insert any symptom here___ mean?

Am I ovulating?

Why am I not ovulating yet?

Should I call my doctor again to ask her opinion?

I better Google that.

I better Google that again.

Should I read about this on a forum?

...I should not have read that forum.

Should I eat that? Let me check the label.

Is that organic?

I ought to be making that myself. It will be so much healthier. I should Google a recipe.

What am I doing wrong?

I better check my chart again.

Google really can be a blessing and a curse. If you've been TTC, you know what I mean. There's even more I could talk about, but honestly...we don't know each other well enough to share information that in depth. 

If you're TTC, and your mind is also plagued with thoughts that are making you feel more insane by the day, I urge you to start your own Future Baby gift. Not only will it busy your mind and body, it will (hopefully) give you a positive association with a process that has become difficult and stressful. It will refocus your mind on the original goal: being a mom! Not to mention, once you become pregnant, you may not have the energy to complete these projects for a while! Here are some of my ideas.

1. A quilt! ;)
2. A photo album of the things you've been doing while on your journey to motherhood.  
3. Letters to your baby that they can read when they get older. Write what your hopes are for them as they grow.
4. A piece of artwork that can hang in the nursery.
5. A cookbook of baby/toddler recipes to try when the time comes.
6. A photo book depicting you and your partner before starting a family. How did you meet? What did you like to do together? Vacations? Marriage/commitment ceremonies? I plan on doing this :)
7. Homemade toys
8. Baby clothing/cloth diapers

Good luck, and Baby Dust to all you future Mommies!

Dino Tails for Toddlers

I finally gave my sewing machine a little exercise and made a present for one of the little boys I nanny. He turned 3 last week. He's been pretending to be a dinosaur quite a bit, and I had seen this great tutorial at Running With Scissors that looked PERFECT! So I gave it a try...and it was AMAZING! So amazing, in fact, that I whipped up another one! 

I mean, he couldn't be the only dino at his birthday party, right? It's way more fun with two! (Sorry for the poor picture quality...I was in a rush and only had time to snap a picture with my iPhone). I used minky fabric to add a texture to the dino skin, and patterned cotton for the spikes. This tutorial was super easy to follow, and it turned out great! I really want to whip out a few more, maybe with some changes to make more variety. I definitely recommend you head on over and check it out. They're really fun and quick!! The kids spent most of their time wagging the tails back and forth...it was hilarious! :)

I've been focusing a lot of my extra time and energy on my health, and it is really helping. Not only am I feeling a little bit better (more sleep, less stress, time for yoga and meditation), I am able to devote more time to doctor's appointments and procedures that I need to have done. Last year, I never would have believed anyone if they had told me this is what I would be doing, but I'm learning to take life as it comes, and as long as I have support (namely from my wonderful husband), I can make it through all this hubbub. 

The biggest "news" is that I am having a second laparoscopy in June. We will be traveling halfway across the country for that. I spent a great deal of time researching the best endometriosis surgeons in the country to find just the right one. I am actually really excited about it! I've been having near constant pain, some a dull ache, some far worse than anything I've had before to the point I can barely breathe. I believe that this doctor has the skills and techniques that will give me more time without cysts and major problems, and will also give us the best chance as we move forward trying to conceive. Hopefully everything goes well. 

Hope you're all enjoying your first few weeks of spring! Hopefully I'll have more projects to share soon. :)