Snapshot 03.19.14

- A week from today I’ll have a brand new baby. Holy shit. This is a fact that is both impossible to wrap my brain around while simultaneously being just about all I can think about.

- One other thing I’ve been focusing on is generating another source of ad revenue to help our family during this tough time. I feel bad to have to mention this, but in a few months we will have hit a year of unemployment, during which my husband suffered a catastrophic injury, required major surgery, and I unexpectedly became pregnant. I feel obligated bring in revenue to help my family, so I created two new, super-affordable types of ads to run on Little Big. Since I will have less time and energy once the baby gets here I’ve signed up with Passionfruit ads to automate the process as much as possible. The great thing about these ads is that it’s so affordable it’s not limited to just blogs or shops: you can use it to promote a giveaway, a special post, an event, a campaign you need votes for, a nonprofit or charity you believe in, a forum you belong to, as a way to get more followers on Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram, or other creative endeavor. I’m flexible and loyal, and I’d love to work with you. You can purchase an $8-10 ad here on my advertise page.

- After a mini-breakdown (which didn’t feel so small at the time) about my health and worries as to whether I’ll be able to be a good mother in the face of sickness, I decided to channel the majority of my energy into my health during every step of the day. I’m normally very adept at managing my health, because that is my life, but right now I’m taking it to a new extreme. I’m going to need to be as vigilant as possible to recover from my surgery and maintain my health while taking care of a newborn. I’ve been focusing on my body first, and everything else, second. I’ve been scrupulously counting my calories to make sure I’m eating enough and rotating through water, EmergenC, and juice to make sure I maintain my hydration. I’m drinking broth fortified with a smattering of grains, veggies, and cubes of tofu and I’m staying on as strict a schedule as possible with my vitamins and meds. It’s improved my energy level a bit, which is really huge as that’s been one of my main problems during this pregnancy. I’m napping and using quiet time during insomnia to read. I hope this attempt pays off!

- I have been making progress on turning Isobel’s nursery into Elias’ nursery, though it is very slow going. It’s not going to be fully decorated and organized and ready to go by the time he gets here, I’ve been too sick this pregnancy for that. Instead I’m focusing on getting the things we’ll need all ready to go, such as his clothes, all the necessary newborn ephemera, and the changing station. My mom was able to find the perfect dresser for Isobel so I can move the last of her clothes out of there, and my Dad will be painting the pink dresser to help give the room a brand new look.

- Anthony was able to fix our washing machine, which is a relief because we’re going to cloth diaper again, but our dryer is still on the fritz. I guess I’ll be looking for a drying rack or a clothes line and we’ll just take advantage of our naturally hot and dry weather to do the rest.

- Because I am a ridiculous person, and because I made one for Isobel, I went ahead and made a twitter account for Elias. You should follow it because babies are entertaining.

- My friend Marianne, who definitely does not live in Canada, sent us this adorable poster in a care package that arrived a few weeks ago. Almost the instant I opened the package Isobel latched onto it and used it to decorate the inside of her princess tent. It took me awhile to figure out what she did with it and once I did I had to convince her to retrieve it for me. I am beyond the point where I can comfortably crawl inside the tent and she knows it. Marianne sent it with her good wishes that the YOU ARE GETTING SLEEPY message will work on Elias. It already works pretty well on every cat who enters the room so we’re off to a good start.

- One-Hit Wonder: Succulent Blooms. New life in my unruly garden. This plant has never bloomed before.

- Sponsor Spotlight: Little Big Bazaar. A few of my favorite things.

- Follow Friday: Winter Picnic. The coldest picnic of my life and the week’s best tweets.

- Snapshot 03.12.14. Bossy ladies, rocks and gems, and new ad spaces.

- Thrifted Maternity Closet: Week 36. All black is the new all-black.

- Pink & Green Quilt. Anne’s post about the gorgeous quilt she made for Isobel.

- Police Warned Angry Goat on Roof ‘Only Respects One Man‘. I love you forever, goats.

- 20 Very Silly Inventions Actually Pitched on TV Show Shark Tank. The hoodie pillow, you guys. The hoodie pillow. Via nprmonkeysee

- Centipeep.Via notbrandoncrane

- Bats having a wicked dance-off. Via TabathaSouthey

- These are the bees’ knees! Via bugmanjones

- New York woman left library $6 million dollars because she liked to read.

- Goat War: An Apology. Via theanalogdivide

- Little Big on Amazon & Etsy. Kitchen stuff, kid stuff, books and vintage wonders.

- My Unruly Garden: Early Spring Update. Flowers everywhere and some of my favorite photos of Isobel.

- Thrift Store Gore: Sex Ed. Inappropriate things found at a thrift store.

- Flip Book: Bubble. A daily occurrence back then.

- My Unruly Garden: Outside. I remember how cold was back then.