Our little girl, May Violet Bartimioli, was born on August 13th, weighing 7lbs. 15oz and 20 inches long. She's a very good, sweet baby. She has tons of black hair like her dad and has my long toes. What a little peanut!

I am officially one day overdue. I don't so much mind not having the baby yesterday, since "August 6th" is difficult to say (comes out rather lispy and I'm very particular about such things). Today would be nice, since 7 is a great number and all, but I have little hope of that happening. I was quite sure I was going to be early, so in my mind, I'm WAY overdue. My doctor says if I don't have her by the 10th (my brother Matt's birthday in fact), that she'll schedule an induction, since my baby is already quite large (yikes). My mom will get into town tonight at 10, and my dad and brother will be here the 11th. I was hoping to have her before they all got here, so they could have more time with the baby, but things aren't pointing in that direction right now. Well, I know this is typical of pregnancy, so I guess I'll just hang around uncomfortably in my sweatpants trying not to be frustrated until something happens. Perhaps I'll console myself with a Krispy Kreme donut on the way to the airport to get my mom.

I'm still waiting for this baby to get here, and I feel like she's decided to have her birthday in October. So, I decided to stop thinking about it [ya right], and take full advantage of having a giant belly by creating a little photo shoot with it. I created a little series called "Snacks on the Belly", which is, you guessed it- bird's- eye view photos of various treats lined up on my bare stomach. I used M&Ms, Skittles, pretzels, Tootsie Pop, an Oreo, Rolaids (basically a snack since I eat so many of them), and mixed nuts. Oh the joy I get looking at those pictures (sorry, I'm not about to display such an embarrassment, but I am going to make a little book out of them- today, if possible)!

Confession: I can't set an eyelet to save my life. Does anyone else have this problem? I thought about getting one of those eyelet-setting clamp things, but I couldn't figure it out, even after a demonstration at the store. On the last layout I did, I spent a good while trying to set one little eyelet, but to no avail. I asked my husband to help me (thought maybe it was a strength issue), but he ended up embedding the eyelet completely into my desk instead of the paper, so now there's a nice hole there. It was actually very funny. Not wanting to create further damage, I ended up using eyelet brads instead, which I love. I think I use that cute little eyelet hammer more for hanging pictures than for it's intended use. Oh well.

Well, I must away, and hopefully NEXT time I'll have baby pictures to post!

Let's just say I now have every reason and symptom to believe that I will definitely give birth to this baby before my due date (Aug. 6). Hey, I think Great Grandma will be right about her being a July baby! So now we're just waiting in our *clean* house for the moment to arrive. I don't really know what to do with myself, except to put my feet up and think about when she's going to get here. It's pretty much mild torture not knowing when it's all going to happen, but kinda thrilling at the same time. What she's going to look like is my main curiousity. Probably poofy jet-black hair like her dad, and from what I can see from the ultrasound, my cheekbones and lips. I'm guessing she'll have my freaky long toes (to Justin's dismay, since he thinks he has "the cutest feet ever"), but she'll be glad if she gets mine, because they are quite convenient to pick things up with.

This is probably the last time I'll post on this blog as a pregnant person (hopefully!). I've had a remarkably easy pregnancy, (despite those pesky first 3 months of nausea) but other than that it's been a breeze! I was sad to not get any weird cravings like pickles with ice cream. The only cravings I've had are 7UP (can't get enough...not Sprite or Sierra Mist- only 7UP), TCBY frozen yogurt (vanilla/choc swirl with Reese's, or chocolate with M&Ms). My worst cravings have been for things I just can't have: In-and-Out burger (primarily a southwest coast chain i think, and not one even close to Idaho), and Chevy's. I haven't found a Chevy's around here yet, which might have been a good thing. Man, their tortillas are amazing!

Here's that altered baby book I promised to show you. The photo is bad, since I don't feel like unpacking my camera from my hospital bag, so it's taken with my computer camera. This image is backwards, so it doesn't really say "YAM" on the front of the book, it says "MAY", although yams with marshmallows sound pretty good right now.

Sorry I've neglected my blog so much! Whew- we've been busy! Last week we got back from Redding, Ca, where I had a baby shower. It was a very nice shower, and everything I got was really neat and very much my style. I especially loved all the vintage and antique items such as clothing, doll cradles, books, etc. I made the baby a tin to hold people's predictions and little messages to her; I think it would make a great shower gift for someone. The drive there was a piece of cake, but I grew so much those 10 days that the way back was pretty uncomfortable (feet the size of loaves of bread). Thankfully we stopped in Portland, which is the halfway mark, and got to visit some friends and their babies (the kind of babies that make family life look really fun).

Justin just finished installing the last of our new bamboo flooring- what a difference! We are racing against the clock to get baseboard and doors put in before the baby gets here, and get our disaster-area of a house organized. I'm still due the first week of August, but i have a feeling I'll be a bit early (but I'm not going to count on it!). Everyone keeps asking me if I'm due any day now, so I guess that means I look like I'm going to pop. We have prenatal classes tonight, so that's exciting.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun 4th of July- eat lots of corn on the cob and strawberries!

My parents came to visit last weekend for Mother's Day and my dad's birthday. They drove all the way from Redding, Ca, and got here in record timing- 14 hours (shouldn't take more than 12), and vowed that next time they would get plane tickets in a timely fashion. It was a very nice weekend; we didn't do a whole lot, which is the best kind of visiting in my opinion. My brother Aaron couldn't make it- he was busy recording his first album with his band, Athanasia in Sacramento (look out- they're up and coming! check them out on MySpace). We all went to the boardwalk on Coeur d'Alene Lake, made homemade ice cream, went for walks, and my dad and I ate a whole batch of cupcakes in two days (ok, Justin helped a little). For Mother's Day I made my mom a collage art piece on a cut-down hollow door panel, which she loved to tears. So, it was a very pleasant visit, especially after we've all been through lately. The peace of God remains and we continue to look forward to new things and goodness this year.

As my stomach's expanding, we're starting to feel the crunch time of how much remodeling we need to get done before the baby is born (when i say "we" i mean Justin). We just got our bamboo flooring, he just needs to install it, but that is the thing I look forward to the most. We live in a 6-year-old house that somehow has filthy 1970s carpeting; it's a great mystery to me. As for art projects, I've been really into making collage pieces on large panels, and am still working on Baby May's book (an altered book that looks more funky than baby-ish). I really want her book done in the next few weeks for my baby shower down in Redding. Today I altered a tin soap box to bring to the shower to have people write messages or predictions for the baby. I'll post it when it's completely finished. I look forward to a productive, beautiful spring weekend (even though there are thunderstorms in the forecast)!

Here I am, updating my blog for the first time in well over a month. Many of you know about my brother Matt from my scrapbook pages and his fight with leukemia. Matt passed away March 28th at the age of 20. Justin and I went down to Redding, Ca to be with my family for a few weeks, which was very refreshing. God has given my family and me this amazing "peace that passes understanding", which is evident because I can't even describe how peaceful and happy I feel despite something so tragic. I know Matt is in heaven and he is not suffering anymore (in fact, quite the opposite!), and know I will see him soon, so I find it difficult to be sad.

I think there are still a few pages about Matt to be published in upcoming issues. Scrapbooking during this whole year of his illness has given me great strength and distraction. It has caused me to remember to never give up hope- no matter what! Never, ever! In fact, I actually entered the MM Masters contest right after Matt was diagnosed, which was a very spiritual moment for me in creating my entry page. It allowed me to rise above the situation and pour myself out into my art on a very different level. I owe winning this contest to Matt, for he inspired it. I celebrate his life: past, present, and future.

August 2006- dad, mom, brothers aaron and matt, me, husband justin

My husband and I just found out today that we are expecting a baby girl (much to our surprise...we just assumed it to be a boy, since we both come from families of boys). I'm 20 weeks along, and feeling pretty good (finally). We are very excited!

I still haven't wrapped my mind around the fact that I am actually having a girl. This will be a lot of fun, though. I've been complaining about how unfair it is that boy clothes just aren't as cute as girl's clothes, but now I think it's great! Luckily I haven't purchased anything gender-specific, and I haven't painted the nursury. I look forward to going very girly with pinks and chocolate brown, vintage and shabby-chic inspired, with a modern edge of course (or else it wouldn't fit in with the rest of my house). And then there's the baby book! That's very exciting- I must start immediately. Justin picked out the name May, which I also like (apparently popular in the 1870s, and anything to do with the 19th century, I love). so I think the first name is pretty much decided. The hard part is the middle name...nothing seems to fit just yet. We feel the need to give our children short names to balance our 10-letter, 5 syllable last name.

The weather has been beautiful lately- I am eager to get outdoors and plant flowers and a vegetable garden. We are still remodelling our house (wonderful, but chaotic); it will be great to not have to be inside breathing sheetrock dust at all hours. This is our first spring in Idaho, and I hear it's a lovely time of year in the northwest, and with a baby on the way, things are looking very pleasant indeed. Here's a picture of our baby...isn't she cute?

Today is our 5th year engagement anniversary. Such holidays always sneak up on both of us, so we forgive each other for not thinking ahead with something really great planned. Yesterday I spent some time here and there on an accordian-style card for him, and finished it up today while he was at the store buying flowers for me. I made it a perfect size to keep inside a Valentine's box that Justin got me last year that held some truffles. Needless to say, I loved my flowers, and he loved his card. We're going to cook a nice dinner and chocolate souffles- the perfect Valentine's Day.

So this is how I work...surrounded by chaos. Actually, this photo is only a small corner of the disaster area. Believe it or not, I usually know where everything is! I have these great plans for organization, and bought a bunch of canvas containers for all my stuff. I organized everything, but when it came time to create, out everything came, all over the floor. That's just my way of doing things I guess.

But, I must share this space with the guest room, so I need to think of a way to put everything in perfectly organized order. This room is a complete embarassment, especially for my husband, when he shows people our new house. In the next month I plan on focusing on this area. I've been catolog shopping for a desk, chair and shelving. I'd much rather work on the floor, but that won't be so comfortable when we install hardwood floors, plus, my floor workspace habit is much too messy. Thought I'd share this nightmare of a picture before I get it all nice and pretty. Scary, huh?