One way we have prepared for Baby Girl Huntsman’s arrival has been setting up a little nursery for her. I didn’t post “before” photos, but anyone who remembers the room will know it has taken on a drastic reformation.  My parents helped scrape old plaster peaks off the walls and helped paint and hang shelves and the curtains. Brad replaced the window and put down new baseboards (and put together the crib).  I put together the dresser and did the minor decorating. The pictures would have turned out more true-to-color had they been taken during the day, but this is a decent representation of what everyting looks like.  There are a few things that will get finished after she has arrived – family pictures, her portrait –  but overall, we are ready to welcome her home to her new little bedroom! 

 The dresser (from IKEA) and the start of a library. We’ll call it the “reading nook” for now!

The crib (self-explanatory)

This quilt was made for me when I was born by an aunt I rarely see anymore, but I thought it was very cute and may end up as a wall hanging to help preserve it better. Also notice the Sheltie stuffed animals my mom got for me, er…the baby.

The changing station (also self-explanatory). The blankets on the first shelf were mine as a baby!

This wall hanging is sentimental since my mom made it for MY nursery when I was a baby.

p.s. Anyone reading this blog will be notified of the baby’s birth via text/phone call/facebook as soon as possible. A formal blog post will be added as soon as I can, but I am finding that it is much easier to upload pics to facebook than this blog. Despite Brad’s noble efforts, this is NOT user friendly and may not exist much longer! Will keep you all posted with any changes!

Now, on to the name. Part of the reason I thought we were having a boy was because we had a name picked out, but were still debating over a girl name. We decided to put the discussion on hold until we knew we had to decide on a girl’s name. Well, now we do! I have some very strict requirements, as does Brad, so compromising is becoming more and more difficult.  As Brad said, “we might just have to wait to meet her.” I concur.  Those who have known me since middle school know that I have been choosing my children’s names since I was 10 years old.  It’s just that the decision making process is harder when you have someone else to agree with!  We definitely have some favorites, but it might be awhile before we announce it to everyone.  I am considering posting a link to a baby name poll for you all to vote on, but I am waiting until we are little more confident in our choices.  As Shannon said, “you could just call her Baby Girl Huntsman.” And, well, she might just be Baby Girl Huntsman until she’s born!

Here are my ultrasound pics:

They are somewhat blurry, but still fantastic.  It’s amazing that they even check for a cleft lip.  We saw her fingers and spinal cord, too.  When the ultrasound technician announced it was a girl, I actually said, “shut up.” Brad took a deep breath, but immediately began using “she” when referring to the baby.  Now, we consider clothes, prom dresses, and a wedding to pay for! Yay!

-Chinese Gender Prediction Chart: I took the month of conception (January) and my age at conception (30) which resulted in the prediction that we are having a BOY.

-Sum of my age + number of month conceived: One quiz told me that if I added these numbers together, and the total was an odd number, I was predicted a GIRL (3+1+1=5).

-Dangle a ring over your belly: If the ring dangles back and forth (like a pendulum), it predicts a boy.  If the ring starts to swing in a circular motion, the prediction is girl. I used Brad’s wedding ring, and it appeared to be moving back and forth, so…we are predicted a BOY with this test.

-Heart Rate Prediction: The rule is, if the baby’s heart rate is over 140 bpm = GIRL. Our baby’s heart rate was 148 at our 18 week appointment.

-Cravings: Allegedly, if I have been craving salty or sour food, I am predicted a boy.  Sweets cravings predict a girl.  This test also predicts a BOY for us, since my craving in the very beginning of my pregnancy was French Onion Soup, and other salty foods.  I didn’t even want ice cream, which was such a bummer since I had just quit Weight Watchers and was looking forward to finally eating Moose Tracks guilt-free.

-Picking up a Key: Since I pick up keys by the wide end, I am predicted a BOY.  If I picked it up by the skinny, long end, a girl is predicted.

-Acne: I have always struggled with acne, and only recently had it under control the last couple of years.  However, it is predicted that if a person has acne while pregnant, they are having a GIRL due to the extra hormones.  I have had a reocurrence of acne while pregnant, which would follow along with this prediction!

-Face shape and color: I am supposedly having a GIRL if my face is “round and rosy.”  Does it matter if my face is always round and rosy?

-Carrying High or Low? It is hard for me to answer this question, because I am only just beginning to show, and can’t really tell if the baby is high or low. My co-worker told me she thought I was carrying low, which would predict a BOY.

-Other weight predictions: If I think my belly looks more like a watermelon, I am predicted a girl. I am predicted a boy if my stomach looks more like a basketball. However, another test says that if I am carrying most of my weight in the front (as opposed to my hips and thighs) I am having a boy.  Like I said before, it is still hard to tell exactly how I am “carrying my weight,” and these predictions somewhat contradict each other.  At this point, I don’t think I’ve gained a lot of weight in my butt or thighs, which would predict a BOY, but I also think my stomach looks more oblong like a watermelon as opposed to a basketball, which would predict a GIRL.

-Morning Sickness?: One quiz asked me if I had morning sickness, and when I answered “no,” I was predicted a BOY.

-Chest size: When I was asked if I have experienced a significant difference in my chest size, I answered “no” and was predicted a BOY.

There were other interesting questions like, “is your mother’s hair gray?” When I answered “no” I was predicted a GIRL.  I was also asked if I slept with my pillow to the north or south (which I couldn’t answer because I sleep with it to the west!).  Apparently, if you sleep with your head to the north, you are having a boy, and to the south, a girl.

-What other people think: My sister thinks she’s having a nephew, therefore predicting a BOY.

-Family patterns: Beginning with the birth of Brad’s older sister, children have been born in a Girl, Boy, Girl, Boy, Girl, Boy pattern, leaving us to have the next GIRL in line!

With just this information presented, we are 59% predicted a BOY and 41% predictd a GIRL. It will be interesting to see what the scientific result is on Wednesday, and I’ll post the big news later that night!

xoxo Joslyn xoxo

May 28, 2009 – 21 weeks

 This is the same bush as in this picture, but I took it tonight during another snowfall.  After all of the snow we have received in this area since December 1, 2007, it is very easy to get lost in how inconvenienced I am by the mess it inevitably leaves behind.  Yet, I just looked out my front window and realized how beautiful and peaceful the earth is after a new fallen snow and cannot imagine living anywhere other than here, where I am fortunate to be able to experience this gorgeous winter weather.

When I wake up and hear that a slew of govertment offices, schools, organizations, and churches — on Ash Wednesday! — are closed, but not my agency, I get a little peeved.  Like a good employee, I decide I’m going to brave the weather, mostly because I cannot afford to take another vacation day after taking the trip to Idaho last month.   I am only 1/4 of the way into my commute when I get a call from the General Manager at Old Navy letting me know they are closing the store and I don’t have to come in tonight for my shift. Then, I hear on the radio that the mall is closing! The mall!  I can barely see 1/4 mile ahead of me, can’t see street light colors because they are covered with snow and can’t see stop signs since they are covered with snow, as well.  I call my program supervisor to let her know that I have decided not to come in after all.  I also voice my frustration towards the head honcho at the agency who is choosing to have his employees risk their safety and emotional health by having them feel inclined to drive in for a day of work. 

All in all, I might not have to take a vacation day for choosing to stay home today so that will be a plus. I just wish the bigger picture would be taken into consideration by people in superior positions instead of worrying about how much money the agency might lose by closing for a day.

However, I make my vow to you — mostly friends and family — to write often and keep those of you who care up-to-date on how things are evolving in good ol’ Machesney Park’nsas.

I am striving to compose a “Happy New Year” letter like I did last year, so look forward to seeing that. I also got a nifty little present from my hot husband for Christmas and as soon as I figure out how to upload normal-size pictures for this new blog, I will post beautiful photos taken with my nifty little present.

 With that being said, Happy New Year and hopefully, happy reading and commenting nicely on justjoslyn.com!

Love, Joslyn

I guess the word I need to use to describe my personality is: obsessive. The verb “obsess” can be defined as 1) To preoccupy the mind of excessively, and 2) To have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic. On the other hand, to become “addicted” is defined as 1) To cause to become physiologically or psychologically dependent on a habit-forming substance, or 2) To occupy (oneself) with or involve (oneself) in something habitually or compulsively. To the naked eye, these two terms appear very similar and difficult to distinguish. When the definitions of the terms are dissected via the help of a handy dandy internet dictionary reference, they are very clearly different. Alas, I am obsessed.

Some may feel great sorrow (while others will probably be trying to control their gag reflexes) that it has taken me this long to discover what could have been an obsession quite some time ago with the story of Pride & Prejudice. I sadly admit I have never read a Jane Austen book, but have resigned myself to read them all. I have watched the movie, Pride & Prejudice two and a half times in the last week (the half was skipping to all the emotionally wrenching parts between Lizzie and Mr. Darcy that made my chest yearn for such passion in my own life!). I have also revisited my teenage behaviors from when I used to look up any and every movie starring Christian Bale by researching the man who plays Mr. Darcy in the film: Matthew Macfadyen. I plan on watching as many of his movies I can find at my local Family Video, and hope that it does not create any sort of inferiority complex in my dear, sweet, loving husband. My wonderful friend Shannon is bringing me her copy of Pride & Prejudice over Easter weekend when she is town for the holiday and her sister’s baby shower. I have to pay my library fine in order to read the other Jane Austen novels…so much to do, so little time…

…along the lines of obsessions, I have decided to regularly post a series of photographs entitled, “Various and Unique Places Yummy the Cat Finds to Sleep.” I think it might be relatively entertaining for those who know Yummy or who like cats, in general.