JacquelineB.
[And I have a T-shirt that says so to prove it].

Yes. Like all pregnant women, I've also struck a recent passion for crafting. It's been in my blood since puberty, but now that I'm married and independent and growing a human being in my uterus, it's easier and much more convenient for me to finally start building my very own wait for it craft studio! I'm so excited! I designed the layout myself and my handy craftsman of a husband built the whole thing.

My preferences in the crafting area lean mainly towards the following: scrapbooking, journaling, painting, postcard/letter-writing, embroidery and, this just in: knitting. About a month ago, I finally got rid of my knitting phobia and asked my mom to teach me. I'm doing pretty good for my first project: baby's first hand-knitted blanket. It's actually quite relaxing, once you get the hang of it. Once I master this, I also intend to try real sewing, crocheting and the ever scary and beautiful art of quilting.

Baby's due around January 11th, so I'll be getting that long-desired maternity leave the first of december. Perfect season and weather for crafting, right? (Yes, we will bring in a couple of extra heaters this time so we don't freeze to death like last year). Besides, around that time, our house will be full of cute, adorable basset hound puppies! Janis [Joplin] is due by the end of november, so I'll be spending a lot of time at home, crafting, cooking, reading, drinking capuccinos, playing my beautiful instruments, hugging puppies and, of course, blogging all about it. Can't wait!

I could and will really use the time off to relax and do stuff for myself. Yes, a little selfish maybe, but hey, by next year I'll be using all my free time taking care of our adorable child, so no judging on how I use my time this last trimester.

It is true. I am no Martha Stewart (although I have a bunch of Martha Stewart crafting tools, books and her beautiful App on mi iPad). But, as well you know, I'm a kindergarten teacher after all. You can't do it for four years straight and not get super creative and crafty. You'd be amazed by what us teachers can do with so little recycled material at our disposal. We are educators as we are artists, 24/7.

Anyway, it's craft studio building day! It's actually almost done, few minor details to go. Promise to upload gloating picture of joy when it's finished.

P.S. Hubby just finished putting up lovely new white mailbox out front! Finally. Our postman will no longer throw my beautiful postcards, letters and bills through the gate for them to end up as dog chow or wander off on the street. Will obviously decorate it and write "La Casa de la Puerta Azul" on it. [Trans: The House with the Blue Door].

Our lovely new mailbox.
JacquelineB.
Oh, my God. I totally forgot I have a blog... again. (I always start my entries like this, don't I? Must stop doing it).

Sound of husband doing the dishes in the kitchen. The most adorable sound in the world. Also a background noise of little Janis howling in the backyard (my adorable 1-year old pregnant basset hound). Jimi (Hendrix), her own brother, knocked her up before puberty. Sheesh. The interesting part is that she's one-month pregnant and she's gonna be a mom before I am! I've been pregnant for six months! Gaaawd.

I'm kidding. It's been awf-- wonderful. Awfully wonderful. I haven't precisely enjoyed every second of it, no. I've had my bad days, my crankiness, scary hormones and mood swings, extreme fatigue, I've never hated house chores more than now and I really do not enjoy having to pee every 5 minutes. Still, it's the happiest time I've had in my entire life. Both baby and parents are as healthy as can be. We're at our 28th week and feeling those baby kicks every day now. Doesn't exactly help me sleep through the night, but still, adorable as hell. He even kicked Sergio on the face one time.

I've enjoyed sharing every part of it with Sergio. Every wonderful and scary thought, weird dream and funny idea I've had since I found out I was pregnant. I started writing a sort of pregnancy journal on a composition book. I wanted to buy one online and even looked for options at Barnes & Noble and I was close to buying The Belly Book, but I didn't want to fill out someone else's questions with my answers. I wanted a real journal about my first pregnancy experience. So I made one myself.

I'm filling it with all kinds of things: cravings, bodily functions, dreams, ultrasounds, pictures of my belly, vitamins I'm taking and how my husband and I have been living the experience of baby-proofing our lovely home.

Yup, still living at the same hobbit house with the blue door. I just love it here and I don't plan on moving anytime soon. Finally getting rid of all the boxes we stored in that extra room we had so we can get Behr's mint majesty and paint the baby room. Crib's already been delivered, baby blankets, car seat, stroller and many other baby stuff they make us buy. And there's much more of that still on the way. Promise to share baby room pic next time, when it's finished (if it ever is).

By the way, IT'S A BOY! Yes, I admit it, it's completely true: We both wanted our first-born to be a boy. Not because we don't want a girl, we want a princess just as much. We just wanted the first one to be our little hero who'll take care of his younger siblings, however many there may be in the future. We would love four kids. It's always been our number ever since we started dating. But, I guess we'll start off with the two and see where it goes from there.

Wow... It really amazes me how much this baby will be truly loved, spoiled, played with, adored. He's the first of a new generation, like I said, on both my parents' and in-laws' sides. He's still a-cookin' and already has got a lot of fans waiting to meet him, hungry uncles and aunts and starving grandparents. Needless to say, his parents are completely in love with every fiber of his being and his mom can't wait another minute to hold him.

Baby name can't be revealed just yet, but we've got some ideas... Since it's not yet carved on stone, please share possible awesome names for awesome baby boy below!

Listening to baby life inside enormous six-month belly.