Our Lives Lately

Seth is exactly five months old today. I must say, four months was kind of rough, so I am really hoping five is a little easier. Don't get me wrong though, he is still just the coolest baby ever :) Just more fussy lately than he used to be, which can be hard on mama. He is so active now- constantly moving. He can almost sit up on his own, and he loves to stand up with someone holding him for balance. He laughs and smiles a lot and is overall a very happy baby.

We are waiting to hear back about the appraisal on our new house, but if that went okay, then we're just waiting for closing, which is set for August 28th. Our lease here is over on the 7th, so we have less than a month now to pack. We're going to stay with Manny's parents for the few weeks in between. I am so excited that we are going to own our home. It's funny- this is the house we wanted all along and didn't think we could get, and now it is all working out. Amazing.

Manny and I are doing well. I feel like we are facing every challenge that comes our way with solidarity, as we always have. Seth has tested and strengthened our marriage and our love. Manny is still working overnight shifts, and we have fallen into our own version of a normal routine. My photography business is pretty stagnant for now, unfortunately. I am seriously considering trying some freelance writing- maybe something will come of it.

Here are some shots of Seth being silly, (In his wool diaper cover from this Etsy seller.)

Full Term!

This is an exciting week for the Mayo family! My last day at work was Tuesday, and also as of Tuesday I am officially in my "safe dates", meaning I could have the baby any time and he would be considered full term! While there are some things I still want to do, and buy, we are ready and have everything we need. I picked up an extra package of Seventh Generation chlorine-free diapers yesterday- we'll be using those in the beginning along with the cloth diapers I have so far, while we decide which type of cloth we like best and build our collection. By the way, here's a picture of the ones we've gotten- it might seem crazy but I think cloth diapers are pretty cute :)
I am filling my days with books, crafts, baking, walking, relaxing and random pampering things like the amazing prenatal massage I got yesterday and the henna I applied today (in pic). I am trying to get my mind in a good place for birth- relaxed, focused, fearless. I often feel like I have little to say, but lots of thoughts; I'm very mellow and introspective. I've been journaling a lot, and writing/talking to the baby a lot too. I feel every movement now- I have no idea how he'll have any more room in there to grow! I wonder every day if it's the one in which he'll be born, but I am trying not to get impatient, and to really enjoy these last days or weeks before he comes.
Here's my hennaed belly- 37weeks,3days:

26 weeks

So this is the last week of my 2nd trimester. I can't believe how fast it seems to be going by. I've had several people comment recently that my belly has grown a lot on the last couple of weeks, and I guess it kind of feels bigger, if that is possible.
I have still sort of been rounding out the registry lists, and sometime soon Manny and I are going to go to Babies "r" Us and add things in the store. I try to go by lists of recommendations and what other people tell me, but the fact is it is hard to know exactly what we will want and need when he is actually here. Looking at all the stuff can be fun, but I think there is a lot of commercial hype about baby stuff and they market to neurotic new parents- really babies' needs are pretty simple and I'm not too worried about not having everything.
I have been doing lots of reading and research on cloth diapers and I'm really convinced that I can handle it and that it is better than disposables in many ways. People tend to look at me like I'm crazy if I tell them that's what we're planning to do, but I think they are mostly unaware of the new cloth diapers that make it really easy and basically as clean as disposables. This blog by a mom I found online explains why they are so great, and she wrote this one about the process she uses with them and which kinds she likes, which I found super helpful. We're going to start out by renting a newborn size package from sunshinediapers.com, so all we will really need to by right away is covers for those. When he is big enough (about 10lbs) I want to try the all-in-one kind, which are really easy because they go on just like a disposable and expand to fit from 10lbs to potty training.
Anyway... it is time to get ready for a nice long 10 hour workday now. Possibly another 26 week picture coming later- one that includes my face :)