Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Welcome Little Riley

For those of you that haven't heard... We are thrilled to say Hello Riley James Minutella!

Here we are arriving at the hospital. Gotta love the funny t-shirt Dave got me when I was pregnant with Chloe. Figured it would be my last chance to wear it... My belly was SO much larger before my water broke 4 hours earlier.




Many contractions, and 2 pushes later...



Hello little Riley! And not even a day old yet - amazing!!!


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Impatiently Waiting...

Sometimes I feel like so many people all at once...
And if you have ever been pregnant, you probably know what I'm talking about...
You feel crazy, not yourself, overwhelmed, severely hormonal, and super clumsy just to mention a few of the emotions that can occur at the same moment...

I am SO happy that we have officially hit 36 weeks in this pregnancy!
37 weeks is even better...

I've been dealing with Braxton Hicks for over a week now,
Every other night for hours on end...
It's having all the pains and contractions of going into labor without actually producing a baby...
And I'm wiped! Seriously - all I do some days is sleep, eat, go to the bathroom, and sleep some more... It's been a week of this, although it seems now like a lot longer...

I can say now - and this will probably change, because the pregnancy isn't over yet...
I get why some women love being pregnant (I had a GREAT pregnancy with Chloe) and why some women think it's the worst time in their life, and why they would never do it again by choice...

Even during this pregnancy, for as hard as it has been - physically difficult and painful at times, I have my days where I think "I would do this again"...
Then I quickly change my mind as I experience one of those things that has made this one so difficult. I could probably count the really good days of this pregnancy on my two hands.

Well, at least I will have those. And it will most likely be those days that I remember as I look at this little expected baby... this new life that I'm hoping will bring us as much if not more happiness that we have experienced with having Chloe in our lives... We just love being around each other, and having one more person in our family unit has got to make it that much better...

So as I am impatiently waiting to be done with these false contractions that feel so real...
Waiting to be able to breathe normally again...
Waiting to be able to walk normal, bend over, lean over the sink to wash dishes or my hands without pain, load my kilns, sit for hours to glaze or work on new pieces, pick up Chloe and hold her on my lap or rock her at night without having her so far away, hug Dave without feeling so awkward (this belly ruins that perfect fit thing we have going on)...
And so many other things...

I am most impatient about meeting our little Riley!
I can't wait to see what he looks like, to hold him in my arms, cuddle with him and take care of him, and to see Dave and Chloe with him...
I've gotten to know him quite well so far from the inside, it's their turn now...

And Peeves... you don't even know the terror coming your way...
Rest up now kitty because if you thought Chloe was bad, just wait to meet our little Riley.
He's going to come out running says one of the Doctors (after measuring his heartbeat at the last appointment)...
And I'm sure, he's going to be going right for you...
Which makes me think - maybe we need to get a dog!

Hope all is well with everyone!
Here's one of the best pictures we got with Chloe and Santa this year...
Yes, she had her finger up her nose or in her mouth the entire time...
Stage fright or something (she loves Santa, but I think is getting to an age where too much attention and adult encouragement without her wanting to do something on her own just makes her shut down).
Oh, well... what can you do but laugh about it, cuddle her and wipe the boogies away (and send out her Christmas Card with this as her picture)

Happy Holidays Everyone!
Will keep you posted on Riley's arrival...

Friday, December 11, 2009

Christmas and Baby Countdown Is On!!!

Ok, so I've been thinking in my head that the countdown to baby #2 arrival is on...
I know Riley's due date is officially January 13 (was January 1, but we weren't sure, so an ultrasound early on was needed, and thus: January 13th).

About 3:30am yesterday (Thursday) I woke up and couldn't get comfortable and fall back asleep.
Usually getting up to pee, then drinking some water, and getting back into bed to lay on one side or the other does the trick, but not yesterday...
I thought, hmmm... maybe something I ate?
Maybe bloated or gas?
Being extremely tired, all I could do was toss and turn...
I found myself trying to stretch out my legs, my hips, my back, anything to relieve the pressure,
but nothing helped.
Our one cat Stinker just sat there staring at me, softly meowing, and pawing at me...

By 7:30am I got my butt out of bed and into a nice warm shower.
By then I knew something was up...
Mind you, in my last pregnancy I was induced, then had an epidural, so this kind of cramping is not "that" familiar to me.

It had to be contractions...
My entire stomach was seizing up, and it would last, then stop, then start up again...
So Dave and I frantically (I think he was the frantic one) got things together for Chloe and the cats...
He took a small amount of time to let work know he was going to be busy for the day, took a few calls, and then dashed about getting Chloe to school while I just sat and dealt with the contractions.

When we got to the hospital, they monitored me to see what was going on for a while...
And it turns out that I am slightly dilated, 40-50% effaced, and was having irregular contractions.

The doctors seem to think that I may be delivering early again - around 37 weeks, if not 36 weeks (36 weeks is next Wednesday).
Just not right now... 35 is too early... We want a baby with developed lungs and as little complications as possible.

I know I am getting tired of being pregnant, but yesterday was a big wake up to me thinking that he may arrive early. So now I'm really just taking it easy and drinking lots of water in hopes of holding onto the pregnancy for at least one more week, if not a little longer...

And of course, a picture of our little Chloe with her countdown to Christmas all over the world calendar (from her Nonna... it was Dave's favorite thing when he was young). I loved that she had her little slipper/boots on, and still decided to step into my shoes to try to reach up even further.

So if you don't hear from me for a few days and have emailed me, there is a good chance I may be in the hospital with our newest little one...
We've got up to a month to go... But we'll see...

Hope you all have a Great Holiday Season!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Jangles Blog Open Studio Tonight!

Tonight from 6-10pm EST visit my friend Jen's blog for her business:
Jangles for her holiday open house.

Here is a picture from her blog of some of her holiday pendants and beads...

If you are in the holiday spirit or would like to be...
Make sure to swing on by for lots of fun and beads for sale.

She even has some ornaments you can have made with custom names on it!
Here is a link to her Etsy Shop Listing (if this one "sells" convo her for a custom listing or request for the pieces).
These are ONLY available today/tonight!!!

I'm totally going to be ordering some for my little ones!

See you over there tonight!

Monday, December 7, 2009

December Art Bead Scene Challenge

While I don't plan on doing much between now and January...
Well, not much other than giving birth to a 2nd baby sometime by mid January...
(keep your fingers crossed for the week between Christmas and New Years - he's getting too big for me to carry or to be able to breathe or move without becoming exhausted instantly)

I have donated some small pendant sets and 2mm silk knot bundles to a winner of the
December Art Bead Scene Challenge based upon this painting by Lee Krasner [Lenore]:

Untitled (1948) © The Pollock-Krasner Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Not familiar with ABS? Take a moment to become inspired...
Artists work inspiring Artistic Jewelry and Bead Making...
In amongst other things to amuse your visual and intellectual senses...

The community there is just amazing!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Bead Show in Delaware This Weekend!!!

My friend Darlene of D7Studio has told me that this weekend she has picked up some table space at the North East Bead Extravaganza Bead Show here in Wilmington, DE at the Millcreek Fire Hall on Kirkwood Highway.
See bead show website for discount admission coupon...

We're talking 15 minutes off of Interstate 95...
That's about 45 minutes from Philadelphia and an hour from Baltimore...
And Delaware is home to tax free shopping - so swing by and stock up!!!
There will be lots of great vendors there - a small, but good show!!!
Means less overwhelming, visual overload, brain-suckage going on...

Saturday, December 5, 2009
10am -5pm

Sunday, December 6, 2009
10am - 4pm

Darlene carries a lot of my pieces as well as a wonderful selection of other artist beads, jewelry making supplies and hand painted silks...

Here are some pictures from Bead Fest Wire back in May 2009...

Darlene busy working...
And a selection of hand made beads and focal pieces...

Nolly Gelsinger Glass Beads (Nolly's Folly)...

Hand Painted Silks...

Various Ceramic artist pieces which may include:
Jangles, Gaea, Mazet Studio, Off Center Productions, CAR Ceramics, Earthenwood

And a selection of Marsha Neal Studio textured porcelain pendants, decal pieces, shards, cabochons, buttons, etc...

Make time to swing by!!!