There are many important steps in the journey of an Angel Dear Lovie between when it's chosen by a Makaboo customer and when it leaves the Makaboo shop for its happy new home.

Angel Dear Lovies Waiting For A Home

We carry 26 different Angel Dear Lovies, from the classic blue lamb to the feisty pink zebra. The newest additions to the family are the Angel Dear Monster Lovies!

Angel Dear Owl Lovie Saying "Pick me! Pick me!"

When we receive an order for a particular Lovie, we find that animal among the mix and pull one lucky Lovie off the shelf. Then we get to work!

Angel Dear Lovie Getting Hooped for Personalization

First, we hoop the Lovie in an embroidery hoop, placing a thin layer of water-soluble solvy on the top to help the embroidery stitches from getting lost in the sweet pile of the fabric, and placing a layer of paper backing on the bottom for sewing stability.

Angel Dear Lovie Getting Personalized

When the Lovie is perfectly hooped and ready to go, we place it on the embroidery machine - that's where the magic happens! We have created an embroidery file that matches what you designed on the site. Then we simply sew what you saw and approved on Makaboo! And as always, the price you see includes all personalization, whether you choose a single letter or a child's full name.

Angel Dear Lovie Getting Trimmed

Once the Lovie is sewn, we pull the solvy off the front and trim the backing from the back-side, then trim any loose threads or imperfections. We spend quality time with each Lovie to make sure it is perfectly prepared for its new owner.

Angel Dear Lovie Getting Packaged With Love

Our favorite part of the journey is when the Lovie is packaged up for its trip home. Every Lovie is placed in a clear gift bag with a satin ribbon and a personalized gift tag. Don't worry, they can breathe in there! As with all personalization, our prices include this adorable gift wrap. After all, this is a very special Lovie going to a very special Little One!

Angel Dear Lovie Getting Boxed For the Journey Home

Once a Lovie is packaged, we nestle it into its little box, surrounded in tissue paper, where it will be safe and sound for the exciting trip to its new home.

An Angel Dear Lovie Is On Its Way Home!

Finally, we close and tape the Lovie into its gift box and label the package with its intended destination. We then hand off the package to our trusty and beloved USPS and UPS delivery friends, and the Lovie is on its way to a happy new home!

We love hearing from customers about the most exciting part of this journey - when the Lovie is united with its new owner! Email us at info@makaboo.com to tell us your Makaboo Lov(i)e story.

Just in case you're wondering, Angel Dear Lovies are just one of the Lovie styles we carry: we also carry three styles of silky soft Swaddle Designs Lovies and organic Apple Park Lovies!

Last Tuesday I went to my doctor's office for the weekly non-stress-tests that start at week 32 (because I am over 35). I have had a completely easy and normal pregnancy - have not been sick once, whether morning, cold or flu; have had no odd test results and no difficulties whatsoever. So I was texting and emailing away - basically getting work done during the 20-minute test when you're supposed to relax, when I glance over at the paper being spit out of the monitoring machine and think "I wonder what those little hills are."

Then my doctor comes in and says "those little hills are contractions, and you're having them every five minutes, so you will be going to the hospital!"

Bill came to meet me and we spent the day at Missouri Baptist L&D Triage. They got me on fluids and eventually gave me a shot to slow the contractions. I got to go home that evening and have been on bed rest and meds to slow the contractions since, and will be until at least February 18th when we hit 36 weeks. I'm still having frequent contractions but hopefully being laid up will mean they are causing less of an impact on my cervix and the whole process. I can't believe I just used the word cervix on my blog.

My husband was supposed to leave for a ski trip on Thursday (why he chose to schedule a trip when I'm at 33 weeks is an entry for another day), and it took some serious convincing (crying) to get him to change his plans. That being said, he has been an incredible care-taker the last six days - he is a saint!

Asking a person like me to sit still for 23 hours a day is sort of like asking a cat to stop scratching the furniture. Or a honeybadger to stop eating cobras. I have the best of intentions, I really do. It's just not in my nature. That being said, I am making it work from home and feeling good, and am so grateful to keep a healthy Blueberry baking as long as I can.

Here are my tricks for not going insane on bed rest:

• Marry a saint
• Enlist friends and family for help - from switching out the laundry and changing the sheets to going to the grocery store
• Have a very snuggly kitty cat or pooch
• Go to sleep, wake up and eat meals at normal times
• Shower first thing in the morning
• Make a list every day of the things you'd like to accomplish, even if they are small (pay 5 bills), then check them off as you go
• Have pre-set times the television can be on; there's a reason your parents did this - because it rots your brain! I do not turn the TV on until 5pm at the earliest, usually closer to 7 or 8
• Use the time to catch up with old friends and emotionally prepare for baby!

I'm very lucky that my bed rest is for a finite period of time, very close to the finish line. I'm also lucky because we know that even if Blueberry were born today, in all likelihood he would be perfectly healthy, he'd just have to spend his first weeks of life in the NICU instead of the comfort of his home and parents' arms. So, it's very easy for me to feel positive about the whole thing. I know others have a different story!

Let's see whether being stuck on the couch/in bed will lead to more blog posts! I hope so! I have big plans.