July 2014 Goals

If it weren’t for my blog calendar, I’d never remember to write these goal posts (haha, nerdy pun intended!) But I am so happy I have them. A new month always feels like a fresh start to me, and that’s worth celebrating. And I always like the rush of setting goals, which for me is really about recognizing that my time is what I choose to make of it. Also worth celebrating!

So, what’s on the agenda this month? The biggest thing is the one that’s hardest to miss (I have referred to myself as both a barge and a land shark in the last few days, but in all honesty, I love this big belly and really love the baby inside it!) He is due July 25th, so, theoretically, he could join us anytime now. But I have mentally added a week to my due date from the very beginning, since first babies are often late. I don’t want to get to the 25th and feel discouraged, so I’ve been imagining him as an August baby for all these months. However, mommy hunches mean about the same as due dates, which is to say: nothing! Whenever he comes, we will be thrilled thrilled thrilled. I’m also including here a few things I’m hoping Eric and I will get to do together before the big day: lunch at Athenaeum, the Route 66 exhibit at the Autry Museum, the new LACMA exhibit, and Shakespeare in the Park!

And I will feel even more enthused about his arrival once we’ve got the nursery all ready. We have everything we need (just about), but furniture still needs to be moved. We’ve been working on prepping our room and the nursery for the last few days, and it feels good to be making solid progress. Of course, if he comes before it’s all ready, that will be okay too. But I have this dream of having the nursery all ready and rocking him in the glider (still in my belly) while I tell him all about it. Of course, I can do that after he comes too!

I am having SO much fun with the quilting part of the quilt process. I realize that sounds totally redundant–what I mean is that actual stitching of all three layers together. After that’s finished, I’ll just need to put the binding on, and it’ll be ready.

I have been so busy with nursery stuff in the past few days that I haven’t done any painting, BUT in that fallow field some fresh ideas have sprung up. I think I can see a path to finishing two out of three of them, and I have some thoughts on next steps for the third one too. I would love to get them finished and hung before the baby comes.

It’s more critical at this point in the pregnancy than any other, I think, for me to keep moving in preparation for labor. Walking on the treadmill has been a good compromise with the heat setting in, and swimming has been fabulous. I’m doing my best to keep it up in this final push.

And, one way or another, I am sure there will be jillions of pictures!

June goals have been updated here, and here are my July goals from 2013 and 2012.

Update, October 2014: Well, July, you were full of happy surprises! I was oh so comically wrong about being overdue, and our sweet baby arrived one day early! Thankfully, the nursery was finished (though I was folding and putting away baby clothes as labor began). I finished the quilt two days before he was born, which was excellent because otherwise it would be gathering dust right now, I am sure! I did finish two of my paintings, but the third one is still awaiting some new directions. Hopefully I can get outside and work on it as the weather cools off for fall. I was walking and swimming up to the end, and I am so proud of that. I have to think that it helped with my crazy short labor. And I am not sure I have ever taken more pictures in one month. Micah is already so different, and I am so happy that I have all of them. Even if they make me cry! Happy tears are the best tears.