welcome to productivity land

The adventures of Amy and the Bed Rest Chronicles continues.

Today has been a super-productive day in Amy World...

• I folded 2 loads of laundry - Clean clothes is a huge plus. It was getting a little embarrassing around here. I wont go into details but the underwear situation was dire. 
• I wrote 3 thank you notes for baby gifts - Josh stamps and mails them. That part of thanking people is always my downfall. Did I ever tell you about the time when I hand wrote Christmas cards to everyone we know and neglected to stamp and mail them? Yup. The stamping and mailing is what kills me not the actually writing the card. You do that too? Really? I'm glad we had this chat. 
• I updated the baby registry for the 347th time...approximately - I haven't kept an exact count but I'm sure I'm in the ballpark. 
• I made a To-Do list for Josh - Does it count as productivity if I put things on his list? I'm saying yes. 
• I drank 7 glasses of cucumber water and 1 glass of apple juice - There is something about water with cucumbers in it. Regular water - meh...Cucumber water - I suck it down like I am a camel about to embark on the longest desert journey of my life. 
• I peed 43 times - It is possible that there is a direct correlation between this item and the last one. It is necessary to mention that my bladder is the size of a walnut and this child thinks it is he play toy. Seriously, the amount of trips I make to the bathroom uses up all of my daily allotted standing time. 
• I finished some editing work that I started last week
• I made the bed - Then promptly laid down on top of it. 
• I put on clothes - It totally counts if the getting dressed happened after lunch...right? I'm asking for a friend. 
• I ate several meals - They were nutritious and delicious
• I contemplated showering....The bathroom rugs are in the wash and I decided big old pregnant lady + poor coordination + slippery floor were not a winning combination. 
• I watched Sunday's episode of The Good Wife - I love Alicia. I want all of her clothes and her wine and the lasagna her family ate for dinner. 
• I remembered to do the kick counter on the fancy iPhone app - This child got in his 10 kicks/punches/jabs/etc in 7min 12 seconds. Is this normal? Is this some kind of record? Should I be afraid? Tell me, I can handle it...maybe

I know some of you are looking at this list and calling a foul for the apparent list padding. I might have thought so 6 weeks 3 days ago but this bed rest thing has COMPLETELY changed the perspective. In other words, I'm moving the goal and calling the match. (My hubby would be so proud of my use of sports analogies. He is ABSOLUTELY having a good influence on my life. Like I now know they score points and not goals at basketball games. I have much knowledge. I'm going to be a fantastic mom of a boy child.)

What did you do today? Share...please...I'm dying to know. I promise it isn't too mundane for me. I will hang on your ever word. I promise. 

Hugs, 

Amy

PS - Sorry I was not around much last week...or at all last week. Last week I was a bit depressed about the bed rest situation. Its real life. I might write about it tomorrow or the next day...I might not. 

Happy Mother's Day

Every child begins the world again. 

~Henry David Thoreau

To my Momma and my Grandmomma,
Happy Mother's Day

To my sweet little boy,
I adore being your Momma. Your Daddy and I are excited to meet you.

XOXO
Amy

True Confessions: You wash your hair how often?

Hi, welcome to the exciting continuation of The Bed Rest Chronicles

Today, we are getting personal.
Today, we are brushing up against that line known as "oversharing."
Today, I confess to you that I only wash my hair ever 5-7 days.

I know what you are thinking:

 It is impossible! I used to think that too. I used to be skeptical. I have been converted.

She is one of those crunchy granola types. While I LOVE granola...especially in yogurt and with berries, I do not make my own twine. I think those who can pull off those skills are amazing. It is just not me. I am a little more in the "easy button" camp.

She must look like a grease ball. Before I jumped on this bandwagon, I washed, dried, and fixed my hair every day. EVERY SINGLE DAY! I have no idea where I found that kind of time. I do not look greasy. I have shared my secret with many, many people who have also jumped on this bandwagon. I actually think my hair looks best on days 3-5.

We can no longer be friends. Try it first. I promise.

Who cares what you look like when you haven't left the house in weeks! On the one hand, this is true. On the other hand, a girl feels just a little better when she is wearing clothes and her hair looks decent.

The secret is cornstarch and a boars hair brush.

Yes, Cornstarch. That little thickener hanging out in the back of your pantry is a miracle worker. It acts as a dry shampoo. I'm serious. Some people spend mega $$$ on dry shampoo and I just raid my pantry.
The Boar's Hair Brush distributes your hairs oils leaving your hair soft, shiny and beautiful.

Let me tell you about it.

• In the morning, on day 2 or 3 (depending on my oily hair situation) I brush my hair and look at my roots. I notice those places where my hair is oily, matted and gross looking. For me, they are usually closest to my face. 
• I dip my fingertips into the small ziplock baggie of cornstarch (I keep this in my bathroom) and begin working it/dusting it onto my roots. I usually go with the roots closest to my face. 
• I work my way around my head a few sections at a time, until I have gone from ear to ear. 
• I let it sit in my hair for a minute or two and then I shake my hair out with my fingers. If I still have a bit of white, I might brush it out. If I notice a spot that is a little oily, I add a bit more cornstarch. 
• After my hair looks alive again, I touch up the style and I am ready to go. 
• For me, this process just takes a couple of minutes...5 minutes tops. 

Note: You are not trying to make your roots white, you do not need to cover every strand. Please do not dump the whole carton of cornstarch on your head. A little bit goes a long, long way.
ALSO, I am blondish. I am not sure how well this tip works on darker hair colors.

 I am following along with lovehappydaily's Every Day in May blog prompts. Todays' prompt: A fashion, beauty or life tip. 

5 Things Friday

Thus continues the newest installment of Amy and the Bed Rest Chronicles

Unsurprisingly, there is a lethargy that comes from laying in bed all day for days and days on end. It can be difficult to muster up the gumption (its my grandpa's word) to get anything done - especially my activities are seriously limited. On the flip side, endlessly watching Netflix does nothing to help with the overall grey feeling that settles in. It is like one of those woven finger pulls.

Here are a few things that have brightened up my Friday:

1) Tulips from Josh. He loves me and says I am an amazing Mom. I got flowers.

2) Nail polish. We will not discuss last time I painted my toes. Lets just say the month ended in an "R." I am too ashamed to say more than that.

3) Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting. My wonderful, beautiful mother had this cake delivered to me a couple of days ago. I have enjoyed every bite and am looking forward to another piece after dinner tonight!

4) Baby Gifts. My mother and sister have been giving me things for the baby for months and I have generous friends who have passed along hand-me-downs. (Thanks Lindsay and Miranda). Yesterday, the first gift from my registry arrived and I am over the moon for these Aden + Anais Swaddles. They are soft and breathable and will be perfect for Joey this summer.

5) Hot Tea. A couple of weeks ago, my mother was here taking care of my while Josh took his Comps for his PhD. She ended up buying me some delicious tea from Teavana and I have been drinking a pot a day for weeks.

What are 5 things for you this Friday? Tell me yours, I'd love a glimpse outside this bedroom.

I am following along with lovehappydaily's Every Day in May blog prompts. Todays' prompt: Five things you love on a Friday. 

on my nightstand

My posts are collecting a theme: The Bed Rest Chronicles.

It might be reasonable to think I would devour books while on bed rest. At another point in my life I absolutely would have. But, the reading has not kept the pace I would have expected. "Why," you ask? I think it is equal parts knitting a blanket for Joey, messing around on the internet, watching crazy shows on Netflix, and tweaking my blog.

If you noticed that the picture of books does not look like it was taken of my nightstand, you would be correct. My nightstand is currently cluttered with a teapot, enough glasses to put the girl from Signs to shame, a nail file, 2 pens, lavender essential oils, my discarded hospital bracelet, and my phone. While I do not mind the written form of true confessions, photographic evidence seems damning. So, you have a picture from my lovely antique table at the foot of my bed that houses the BEAUTIFUL tulips my husband gave me as an early Mother's Day present. I'll tell you more about that later. I do not want to use up all the interesting things in my life in one post. I'm not sure you, my one dear blog reader, could contain all that excitement.

In other breaking news: we changed the sheets on our bed a few minutes ago. Yes, I said we. Josh helped. These days, sheet changing is a two person job. It has also been my big event of the day, I've been looking forward to it since breakfast. I know, the excitement in Casa LW is on the call the police for noise pollution level. Just wait until tomorrow, I might tell you how many times I went to the bathroom. Don't scoff unless you have been pregnant and have had your bladder shrink to the size of a walnut.

Great with Child by Beth Ann Fennelly
It is a book of letters from one mother to another. I am 2/3rds of the way through this one and I need to finish it ASAP since it was due back to the library 3 days ago. (I'm a rebel...or a slacker. Lets not take a vote) This book has been wonderful. It will officially be the first parenting/motherhood book I have finished. I quit all the others within a couple of chapters. Beth Ann's (I feel as if we are friends even though she doesn't have any idea who I am) writing is raw and encouraging. She makes me laugh and cry and think and feel a million times better about my own insecurities surrounding parenthood. It reads quickly because it is a book of letters, although I have skipped two letters that talked about her miscarriage because I can not read about the death of a woman's child as I lay in bed fighting for the life of mine.

Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
My friend Laura sent this over to me yesterday in a care package. I was glad to receive it. Emily and Anne have both read this book and recommended it on their blogs. I have loved Anne's other works and welcome her perspective on motherhood. She writes honestly and weaves joy and sadness together in a way that hits what is true and real in life. (PS - you should absolutely click on Emily and Anne's blogs. I love them. I'm quite sure they do not read my blog but you should add theirs to your list. I promie)

Daughters of Parvati by Sarah Pinto
Sarah is easily on my list of favorite people. She is absolutely amazing. This book is heavier than the other two on the list. It centers on the lives of women in different settings of psychatriac care in northern India. (Similar to the area I lived back in 2005) Sarah urges the reader to think about the different ways that women of the vulnerabilities of love in their minds, bodies and social worlds.

Awesome by Neil Pasricha
I know very little about this book. It was given to me by a friend from church and my book group. She sent it my way because it is a light and fun and she thought I might enjoy it while resting. The back cover says that the book's aim is to remind us that the best things in life are free. The book is meant to be a celebration of humanity and life's little moments.

On the iPad (Not Pictured)
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
I have read this book several times during life and have recently picked it up again. If you have not read this lovely children's book, pick it up.

I am following along with lovehappydaily's Every Day in May blog prompts. Todays' prompt: Share a book that you'd like to read, but haven't yet. What draws you to it?

the view from my corner of the world

Look at me blogging two days in a row.

It is almost like a new record.

When I was working on my Masters Degree, I spent the majority of my time writing from the kitchen or the living room of our apartment. I've never been one of those coffee shop/bookstore/library type of girls. I'm something of a homebody....Shhhhhh that is our secret.

These days I am writing from our bedroom, courtsey of doctor ordered bedrest. At this point I am 2.5 weeks in and have many, many weeks to go. I am not quite certain how many week I will be on bedrest. Part of my has been afraid to ask my doctor and the other part does not want to spend every day counting down. I am afraid this experience will become a ticking clock and I become consumed with the countdown. So, I am choosing to simply "be" in every day. I am choosing to allow each one to be a gift. I am trying to be content with the present. I'm only successful a fraction of the time but I keep trying.

So, welcome to my current corner of the world. We stay in bed, drink tea, and do our best to grow this little baby

favorite photo...or at least one that is fairly recent.

Anne mentioned that she is linking up with Love Happy Daily for her post every day in May series. I am not promising that I will come close to posting everyday in May. With my record, we should take it a day at a time. 

Today's prompt: Post a Favorite Photo

I started looking at photos and found many favorites but not many recent favorites. So, I decided to tweak the prompt and choose the most recent picture that I like. Sadly, it was from a couple of years ago. Eek. I might need to get better at taking pictures. Hum...I feel like a list might be forming. 

Bonus realization: I looked at quite a a few pictures of myself that I really liked but did not like at the time. Perhaps I might need to consider a different evaluative lens. 

Family Vacation in Kauai: Winter 2011/2012