why i bought two bottles of fingernail polish

So, I'm having this baby.

And I'm so excited about it. I knew that this would ultimately be the end result of all the gestating that's been taking place over the last nine months, but now that it's here? It's pretty surreal. And awesome.

But as it gets closer, I've been thinking a lot about how I could be losing part of my identity by becoming a mother.

Is it awful that I just said that?

Let's be honest. It doesn't help that I can't wear anything but yoga pants. Or that my feet are too swollen for my favorite shoes. Or that yesterday, Andrew was making me laugh and I almost didn't make it to the bathroom and then I was crying because OH MY GOSH I JUST WANT MY BODY BACK. (By the way, that's funny now, but then? Not so much.)

So. Because I just wanted to keep on feeling like Page and not like the pregnant lady who's about to sign her life over to spit-up and sippy cups, I bought some fingernail polish. Two bottles.

Now, I realize that having She's Not Really a Waitress on my toes isn't the fix-all for this.

I've been praying over Proverbs 31 a lot when thinking about my identity because I know that the confidence and security that comes from being anchored in God is a lot more valuable (and steady) than anything that comes from a bottle of fingernail polish.

But it's also a lot more valuable than anything that comes from my kids. Or my husband, who loves me in such a Christ-like way that I can't believe he's even real. Or my other friends and family. Or my job.

Those things are from God and so good, but they aren't substantial enough. And I just don't ever, ever want to forget that.

Tell me I'm not alone. Mamas, tell me that you felt the same way? And then tell me what you did about it. Thanks :)

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PS: thanks for the sweet comments and emails (and orders!) after opening my shop again. I'm just so excited about it all. And don't forget that you can use MARVELOUS15 at checkout to get 15% off until Sunday :)

remember that time I had an etsy shop?

Remember that time that I had insomnia and I designed a bunch of Christmas cards to put on Etsy? And then Christmas came and went and I decided to try my hand at designing other notecards and thank you cards?

And then remember how I didn't know what I was doing, so I got overwhelmed and just wanted to rock in the corner and cry?

Remember? Well, that was then.

And over the last few months, I've been missing that creative outlet. It brings me joy to make pretties for people and I wanted to figure out how to make the whole Marvelous Prints thing work. I just needed to re-evaluate what I was doing and why. And figure out a way to keep it fulfilling and purposeful.

So I prayed about it.

And I brainstormed.

And researched.

And tested.

And with Andrew being my biggest cheerleader (because he's amazing like that) I decided to give it go.

Marvelous Prints {and Gifts} is open {again} for business.

I'm SO excited about it, y'all.

And these aren't all the designs, so head on over to check out the others. There are notecards and recipe cards and prints...and I'll be adding more throughout the week!

Also, they're all die-cut, which means that the images aren't printed - they're cut out of cardstock, once I've designed them myself, and have a really cool texture to them. I think that makes them pretty unique :)

And there's a button over to the side of my blog now that will take you there aaany time you want.

And...AND!

In honor of this grand reopening, there's a coupon code that will give you 15% off if you use it by Sunday at midnight. Just enter MARVELOUS15 at checkout.

Now get to gettin' and buy yourself something pretty :)

37 weeks...full term!

I can't believe it. I mean, really? Full-term? Craaaazy.

I'm almost scared to declare it, but I feel ready. The bags are packed. All the clothes are washed. The guest bedroom is (almost) ready for my mom to come hang out with her new grandson.

Oh and Braxton Hicks? Holy smokes. I was all, "Braxton Hicks won't be that big of a deal. I probably won't even feel them." But over the last few days they're kind of stopping me in my tracks. It freaked Andrew out the first few times my sentences were littered with "ow" and "whoa" but now I think he's used to it. He probably won't believe me when it's the real deal.

By way of updates, there really aren't any. He's ready when he's ready and who knows how big he is.

Exciting, isn't it?

my weekend (in iphone pictures)

It was glamorous, y'all.

Andrew is on mids this week, which means he leaves the house around 5pm and comes back just in time to wake me up in the morning. That also means lonely nights and quiet days, since he goes to bed as soon as he gets home. I don't prefer this nocturnal schedule he's on, but I'm making the most of it...

Friday night, I curled up with some delicious potato soup (recipe: here) and my canine companion. I played around on Pinterest and since I was feeling a little sad and lonely, I decided to watch Notting Hill - because Hugh Grant is precious. And let's face it, Rudy was more depressed than I was. So much for him lifting my spirits.

Saturday morning, I went to an adoption fundraiser yard sale for some friends at church and scored two skirts and two books for $2. Go me!

Then there was shopping to be done - at Target and Trader Joe's - which yielded that fabulous kitchen rug, some beautiful flowers and those awesome purple suede moccasins. Among other things.

After I got home and sent Andrew on his way, I worked a little on the Etsy shop (yay! More on that later this week!) and spray painted that birdcage for the front porch table. I also made a delicious dinner: prosciutto and mozzarella pita pizza. So yum.

I slept horribly last night, waking up off and on feeling kind of nauseous, so I skipped church and cuddled with Andrew when he got in bed at 8:30 this morning. I ended up sleeping until 11am and when I got up, my muscles felt like taking a walk. So I headed to a local shopping center, parked at one end, grabbed a McAlister's sweet tea and made my way down the strip, popping in and out of a few stores along the way. And I got two bottles of fingernail polish.

I told you it was glamorous.

But when I got home, Andrew was wide awake after only 4 hours of sleep and had the rest of the afternoon before heading back in tonight at 8pm. It was such a treat to have him here and awake. I do love that boy.

Now I'm listening to Chris Rice, burning a delicious candle and thinking of what snack I should fix for myself. Good times.

How was your weekend, friends?

waiting for fall...and a baby

I'm sure I'm not the only girl around who gets a little giddy this time of year. The cooler temperatures. The reds and oranges. The spicy-smelling candles and coffee drinks. Scarves. Boots. It's just all so lovely and warm.

It's such a romantic season, I think, so it's only fitting that God would choose to bless me with a sweet little boy during this time of year. My heart is full thinking of my little autumn baby.

In the past, I've been chomping at the bit to break out the fall decorations. It's usually 85 degrees outside but you wouldn't know it from the coziness inside. I was a little late this year (all my energy has been redirected to other forms of nesting) but I finally got around to it. After all, I can't let my son be born in our favorite season and then come home to a house that doesn't smell like mulled cider.

So I pulled out some stuff, like my cutie little owl and the rag wreath I made last year.

And then I made a wreath for the front porch with some burlap and fall-esque fabric scraps. And I kind of love it.

And guess who else just welcomed a baby?

The mama bird who's been living in my portulaca. We think her little one came sometime over the last two weeks. So cute.

So tell me, what's your favorite part about fall??

his name

36 weeks

We're just chugging right along! I'm not feeling as sorry for myself this week as I was last week. Maybe it has something to do with the prenatal massage, facial and pedicure I was blessed with this weekend. Maybe ;)

Our boy is pretty much just hanging out at this point...

• He's still gaining weight - about an ounce a day - bringing him close to 6lbs. So am I, in case you were wondering, except it feels like maybe I'm gaining a pound a day. And I'm really not exaggerating.
• He's losing most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the waxy substance that's kept his skin from getting wrinkly for the last several months.
• At the end of this week, he'll be considered full-term! And we have an appointment on Wednesday to make sure he's in a head-down position, so hopefully all is well with that.

On Sunday, the ladies at our church had a baby shower for me and we got most of the final things from our registry - plus some really cute other things, of course. I feel so blessed by them and all the others who have been so generous toward us. I'm thankful that our son will know such amazing people.

Hopefully he doesn't wait too long to come out and meet them all :)

feeling mushy

Maybe it's because he's been working all day every day and I miss him.

Maybe it's because of this boy who could have his eyes who is stretching out inside me.

Or maybe it's because of the way he's looking at me in this picture:

But I just thought you should know that I love my husband.

So, Andrew? One day when you're home and not sleeping and have a chance to catch up on my blog, just know that I've been loving you a lot all this time that you're away. And I promise to keep that up. Deal?

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Why yes, that is a teaser of the maternity pictures we took last weekend. The photographer is a doll and super talented and I can't wait to show you the rest of the beautiful pictures she took :)

sufficient

Source: etsy.com via Page on Pinterest

I do this thing sometimes where I cook up a worst-case scenario in my head to try and make sure that I'm prepared to handle it. You might call it fear. Worry. Anxiety. Whatever it is, it's always been my M.O.

I don't worry about outrageous stuff like Andrew getting in a car accident on the way home from work or my house being burned to the ground when I get back from a weekend trip. Those thoughts do sometimes cross my mind, but they're fleeting - I usually feel like it's such a stretch that it's not even worth the energy to think about it. And I'm thankful for that.

But the other things? The things that could really, really happen? Those thoughts can be consuming.

And something about growing and preparing for a little human stirs those thoughts up pretty fiercely. I wrote this post when Andrew and I were the only ones who knew I was pregnant. I was so afraid that something was going to go wrong and it was paralyzing. I had scripture plastered all around me to give me some sense of peace and comfort but for most of those first few weeks I was terrifying myself with that worst-case scenario stuff.

And lately, it's been this:

• What if he's breech?
• What if I can't nurse?
• What if I can't get in touch with Andrew when I go into labor?
• What if I get postpartum depression?
• What if he has colic?
• What if something goes wrong during the delivery?
• What if he weighs 10lbs?

What if, what if, what if, blah, blah, BLAH.

I spend so much time thinking about those things because I just want to be prepared, but it's still not healthy. I can research breech birth and postpartum depression all day long and I'm still worrying about something that I (a) have no control over and (b) can't do anything about right now.

I was playing that little "what if" game this afternoon and I swear, it was like God so clearly and sweetly told me to chill out - that He will give me what I need in any of those moments that I'm so afraid of. But they aren't here yet and they probably won't ever be, so I'm not really in need of anything but a dose of peace right now.

One of my dearest friends told me one time that we feel things like "I couldn't handle it if..." and it's true. Right that moment, we couldn't handle it - because we don't need to. But if XYZ happened, God would send the grace and power necessary to deal. But only then and not a minute before.

His grace is sufficient. It is adequate. It is enough. It is available when I need it. His power is made perfect in weakness.

Deep breath.

He is enough, amen?

pinterest inspiration: a headband holder

I know I'm not the only one who gets lost clicking through Pinterest these days. It's a dream come true for my Type-A self, who loves to tear a page out of a magazine and stick it in a subdivided binder for that one day when I'm ready to do something with it. Or at least just look at it again.

(For those of you who aren't familiar, check out this link. They do a better job of explaining it than I ever could.)

Not surprisingly, I do a lot of pinning and not a lot of doing. I fall in love with the ideas that I see, but rarely put them to use. So I decided to set a goal for myself: do something with at least one pin each month. And maybe that will turn into twice a month or once a week - who knows? But for now, once a month is good.

And today is the first one.

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Things I like: headbands.

Things Andrew likes: a clutter-free countertop in the bathroom.

Things I don't have: free drawers in the bathroom.

Things I do have: headbands.

And we've come full circle.

I started on my quest for headband storage with little in mind - I didn't want something that hung on the wall, because that's not ideal for our bathroom setup. And I wanted something easily accessible because I wear headbands a lot these days and don't feel like having to dig around when I need one.

To the rescue:

Source: MadebyStephie via Page on Pinterest

A coffee mug holder! Yes, it's holding jewelry but if I found the right one, it could work. Right? Right. So I kept my eye open for something that fit the bill and decided to stop by Goodwill one day to see if I could find anything there.

And I did!

I don't have any "before" pictures, because I got carried away in the moment and didn't take any. But it was just a light-colored wood before I spray-painted it blue. And ta-da!

I think that it was also meant to hold utensils or something in the middle? I'm not sure. But it spins around, which is awesome, and is perfect for my collection.

And no more counter clutter. I win!

Have you been inspired by anything on Pinterest lately?

Also, check out the Pinterest button I just added to the right if you want to follow me there!

35 weeks (and a little bit of whining)

Andrew's had the last four days off and I have to tell you - I'm not ready for it to be over. I took today off so we could spend some time together before he launches back into this crazy schedule. The next time he has this much time off is the weekend that the baby's due. WHOA.

Anyway, here are the baby stats for this week:

• He doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and over 5 lbs, so it's a tight squeeze in there. And I can tell.
• His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products.
• Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks just putting on weight (but hopefully not too much!)

So, can I be honest? Week 35 isn't quite as awesome as the others. Aside from the sudden swelling (goodbye, wedding rings!) and the inability of my body to control its temperature (hello, hot flashes!) I'm just feeling more emotional by the day. At any given moment, I feel excited and overwhelmed and blessed and uncomfortable and hungry and scared and big - and I just think that it's bound to come spilling out soon.

Don't get me wrong, I love carrying this boy. I love that my body is doing this - that's it's giving him exactly what it needs and that it can take care of me at the same time. I love the pure joy that is living inside me. I love the secret kicks and tumbles that are just ours to share. But there are a lot of emotions wrapped up in all of that, right?

But fear not, for I am taken care of.

I have the most supportive husband - who tells me daily, if not hourly, that I'm beautiful - and who was on his hands and knees this morning scrubbing the shower because I'm pretty sure that job would have sent me into labor.

And then there's that Peace that usually comes in the middle of the night when I'm awake for no reason that reminds me that I am doing a good work. And that He is here. And He is sufficient.

So amen to that.

the nursery, pt 3 (the gallery wall!)

When I first started daydreaming about this nursery, before I even knew if it would be filled with pink or blue, I knew I wanted something like this wall. Something filled with sweet words to surround our baby and pretties for me to look at while rocking him to sleep.

I spent hours looking for different prints and images on Etsy. It might have been the most fun part of putting this room together. So now, I bring it to you...

1. Jeremiah 17:7-8 print from Naptime Diaries. I pray, pray, pray that our boy becomes this man.
2. Owl print on a vintage dictionary page from Blue Zoo.
3. Green alligator (by me) using my Silhouette machine.
4. CS Lewis quote, also by me. It says, "You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream." Andrew and I live by that (hence the nod to the Navy with the anchor) and I hope our son lives by that, too.
5. Hoot print from Sarah Knight Design.
6. Oh, Lord You're Beautiful print, also from Naptime Diaries. I spotted this one right when she opened her shop (before I was even pregnant) and knew that it would adorn my little's wall one day. It says, "when Your eyes are on this child, Your grace abounds to me." So precious.
7. Monkey print on a vintage dictionary page, also from Blue Zoo. She sent it as a freebie when I ordered the owl!
8. Orange binoculars (by me) using my Silhouette machine. Because I hope he likes to explore.
9. Hot Air Balloon print from MDCreated.

And in case I didn't brag on this enough, here's the painting on the door. My sweet grandmother painted it on the back of an old puzzle that she had in the grandkids' toy box - it had lost all the pieces so she turned it into this gem. Love her.

I adore the art in this room. It's full of the wishes and prayers we have for him and I can't wait for him to see it all :)

33 and 34 weeks

It really has been quite crazy around here, hence the tummy pic hiatus last week. But we're back! Here are some updates for the people (read: grandmothers) following along:

• He weighs about as much as a cantaloupe (4.75 lbs) and is around 18 inches long. Of course, we have an ultrasound coming up soon and that may tell us otherwise!
• He's losing the wrinkled look and is packing on the pounds, which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born
• His skeleton is hardening
• His central nervous system is maturing, as are his lungs
• And for those of you wondering what would happen if I went into labor anytime soon, babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do just as well as full-term babies

As for me, I'm doing about as well as a big pregnant lady can be doing at the end of a Charleston summer.

I kid - I'm still feeling very well, but I can feel myself getting more and more tired each day. It just takes a lot to operate a body under these conditions, you know? But despite all of that, the whole "nesting" thing has really kicked in. And I don't hate it. Like today when I swept, vacuumed, cleaned out three closets and a cabinet and did four loads of laundry - all in about two hours.

Just six-ish more weeks, folks. Question for the mamas: did your first baby come early or late?

(Please say early)

Happy Labor Day! :)

a labor day weekend list

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Some random thoughts as we go into this holiday weekend...

• That picture is for all you people doing something outdoorsy this weekend to celebrate the last bit of summer. I like a moderate hike as much as the next girl, but today? I'm thankful for the AC and a place to put my feet up.
• I was gone most of the week for work and I really missed my honey. He's a good snuggler. It's true.
• My family is coming this weekend! My family is coming this weekend!
• Thanks for all the sweet comments and emails about the nursery. It's pretty cute, isn't it?
• A fun fact about Rudy and the nursery: he thinks he has his own personal fort under the crib. When we don't give him enough attention, he retreats there to do a little pouting. And all you see his is tail sticking out. So cute.
• I lit a fall candle today. It did my heart good.
• I'm having a baby next month. NEXT MONTH, people!
• Can you recommend a good blender? I could eat smoothies all day every day but our blender makes me want to scream. Really.

That's all for now. Riveting, right? I'm off to snuggle with my husband and my puppy while we wait for the fam to get here.

Have a great weekend! :)