Guess what...?

I'd like to stay and chat, but I'm a little preoccupied.

Just wanted to say hi and let you know that we're all really happy over here.

Be back soon.

James' Room Update Extravaganza

It's not really an extravaganza.  I didn't even bother editing these photos to make 'em prettier because really, they're just in-progress update shots.  In fact, they make me a little sad because his room still looks so unfinished, what with all the bare walls and lack of shelving and whatnot.

But they don't make me too sad, because it's still the best room in the house so far and I love the direction it's headed.  And I especially love that it's for my little rib-kicker who technically is allowed to pop out any time he wants.

Let's not get distracted.  Here's a look at the baby room so far.

Crib corner.  The balloon is from a baby shower which I tied onto the crib just for fun.  Tony said we should let it go outside the day he's born, which sounds perfectly whimsically cheesy to me. 

The Plan: to get sheets for the mattress (as it is bare), to get a bedskirt to hide my craft storage bins under the crib, to find a place for my sewing crap, to put things on the walls.

This is the corner to the left of the crib.  Sorry the picture's so dark; the lighting sucks big time in our house.  

Here's a brighter picture.  Nevermind the folded up stroller there to the left.  We, uh, don't know where to put that yet.

The Plan: make slipcovers for the chair cushions someday maybe, get a little bookshelf for the books,  get a little side table to go where the stroller is, put shelves and pictures on the walls, find better lighting solutions than the single boob light in the middle of the ceiling that is there now.

Here we have the area in front of the window to the right of the crib.  Again, sorry for the bad lighting.  Currently this is where my sewing desk and chair go, but this is where I want to put the aforementioned bookshelf, or maybe a toy chest.  See the curtains?  I hemmed 'em myself.

This is the corner across from the door when you walk in.  The crib would be behind you to the left.  This is the beautiful dresser my dad bought us, which we someday plan on stealing when James is too big to need a changing table.  Then he can have our crappier Ikea dresser.  I didn't take any detail shots, but I replaced the top row of knobs with some pretty brass Anthropologie ones I found at a thrift shop, and I plan to replace all the rest with coordinating knobs as I find them.

The Plan: fill the wall to the left with shelves for storage/display, put one big long shelf high up on the wall above the dresser, hang pictures on the wall directly above the dresser, find little baskets or organizer thingies to go on the right side of the dresser for diapers/wipes etc., get a cute little clothes hamper to go on the floor to the right where that bag is.

Another shot of the dresser.  It really is so pretty, I promise.

This is a big basket where I put all the things we've been given that don't have anywhere else to go at the moment.   Apparently babies need lots of things.

My sister-in-law made us a bunch of awesome stuff, like that cute fabric-covered diaper case there, and a changing mat, and a blanket, and fabric blocks, and pee-pee teepees (look them up, they're hilarious).  And they all coordinate, and they are all the most perfect colors and fabrics ever.  The cute little giraffe was his first toy from my mom and it sings the ABCs, but now the battery is dying so it sounds like Satan's giraffe.  Adorable.

Just some of the cute cards we've received.  Plus my dad's old lava lamp and a Darth Vader bobble head, because why not?

Here's those fabric blocks and ball I was telling you about.  They are the coolest.  Plus books and more stuffed animals.  Yes, that bear is missing an eye.  Only the best for my child!

Poorly-lit closeup of the matching blanket.  It's full of insanely soft fabrics and ridiculously adorable prints.  Thank you Sembur!

And lastly, a closeup of the paper star garlands I made, that keep falling off because they are only taped.

Okay so I lied; these pictures make me totally happy.  Like I've said before, I know this is all mostly for my benefit because James won't care that he has cute stars above his windows, but I love preparing for his arrival.  It's important to me to cultivate our space to be calm, comfortable, and clean so I can better take care of him. 

So that's that.  Tony is patiently waiting for me to stop blogging and go get started on something to feed our faces with.  Food, is what I'm saying.  It's dinner time, yo.

29 WEEKS + STUFF

So this was my belly yesterday.  Note: mirror is still dirty (dad.)  Also, this was me fresh out of the shower without any cute things happening ESPECIALLY a bra.  I considered putting one on and retaking the photo but I was toooo lazy.  Sorry (everyone).

Yesterday was also the day I had an appointment with my midwife, so I got to hear kiddo's heartbeat and they measured my tummy and weighed me and took my blood pressure (but this time there were no approving looks even though my blood pressure is still excellent so it must not be exciting anymore.  Must find new ways to wow the nurses.)  Everything is normal, except the midwife said that the interesting position the baby was in at the ultrasound which I thought was so adorable is actually one of the more difficult breach positions for a baby to get out of.  So last night Tony gave my belly a stern talking to and we're hoping this little buttmunch will turn himself around before they have to cut him out of me.  Kids, she says, with a rueful shake of the head.

In other news, the room is almost (almost!) all painted.  I finally got the baseboards done and now all that's left are the doors and doorjams and maybe I can do the jams tonight.  Jam is a funny word.  But here are some WIP pictures I took before the trim got painted.  There are befores and afters!  The befores are full of me looking stunning in my pjs!  The afters are better!

Before!

 Notice how we had to paint our ceilings.  I cannot stress this enough.  THE CEILINGS ARE THE SAME COLOR AS THE WALLS.  EVERYWHERE!  IN EVERY ROOM!  The rest of the world is not nearly disgusted enough with this as I am.

After!  Only still not finished.

This is a view as you enter from the door.  The wall is so shiny cause I had only just painted it.  For those interested, we did the walls in a satin finish and the trim in semi-gloss.  Can I just say how in love I am with that dark grey accent wall?  There were many doubters on the road to that wall, but I testify they were all converted and now it's a favorite thing to do in our household to stare admiringly at it.  I will never not be amazed at how a change in paint can make all the difference to a thing (or a room).  It's so much brighter and cheerier in there now that the grey/green/brown is gone.  I can't wait to finally start getting things organized and bring in all the other colors I want.  

And I know that this baby doesn't give a darn what his room looks like.  This is all for me.  But my main goal is to create a place that is peaceful where we can all feel comfortable together.  That's my goal for the whole house, and it's been slow in coming, but I think with the grease of our elbows we can pull it off.

But really, I love that wall.  I probably need to buy something sultry to wear to match it.

?

7 MONTHS

 

28 weeks - 7 months - pregnant today.  

(Actually, I don't know why I count on Mondays because my due date is a Saturday.)  (But honestly, I don't put a lot of stock in the actual due date.  Cause who really knows, you know.)

We had your second ultrasound today, and while we were able to confirm your boyness pretty thoroughly, you were a shy guy and hid your face.  With all of your limbs, at the same time.  You had your butt by my hips and your head in my ribs, with your hands holding onto your feet and your feet up by your forehead.  Like, I don't even know how you did that.  But it was adorable and we laughed through almost the whole appointment.  And then the technician showed us your feet and said it looks like you have high arches, which made us laugh more because I'm really sorry you have my feet.

I guess we'll just have to wait to see your little face.

I was thinking today, as the little girl I nanny for had to be content with me while her daddy was pretending to be busy but was really just busy not spending time with her, that I don't ever want to do that to you.  I want you to be absolutely sure that we are a family - you, your dad, and I, plus whoever comes next - and we are most important to each other. 

2 1/2 more months!  Holy crap!

27 Weeks

This should've been done on Monday, but, you know.

Because, baby, on Monday, I was 27 weeks pregnant with you.  And yes, I watch all the baby shows on TLC when I'm at work.

I think to myself a lot these days, "Self, I like it that we're pregnant."  I like it a lot.  I tell my dear sweet husband how I think I'm going to miss being pregnant - always with the adendum that there's still 3 months to go and maybe I'll eat those words week 39.

Not that I'm not excited for you to be on the outside of my body, so I can see you and hear you and smell you and wrap you in blankets and snuggle with you, because oh my goodness I am!  But I really love this time right now when you are closer to me than you ever will be again, and you are more protected than I will ever be able to make you again.  I don't see myself as the Mama Bear type - at least not yet - but there is something satisfying about knowing that anything that happens to you must first happen to me.

So here's a few things I want to remember about 27 weeks:

- You move.  You roll and nudge and spasm, but it's never frantic.  The energy I feel from you is measured, thoughtful, quiet.  Like your dad.

- I love feeling you move.

- You love kicking me in the bladder, but only when it's full.

- You stop moving as soon as someone pays attention to you.  I don't even know how you know; all I do is look down to where you are, and you stop.    I think you like to be alone.  You are also like your dad in this.

- We have the most fun when we get to watch you push against the outside of my tummy, like an alien.

- I have the worst heartburn of my life.

- And back pain.

- I had a dream the other night that I gave birth to you, and you had a gigantic head, but the delivery was so easy.  I didn't even push.  I know it's not going to be like that, but it was a nice dream.

- But seriously, the dreams!  I have the weirdest dreams now.

- I'm worried I'm ruining you for healthy food because all I want is sugar.  I try to eat the good stuff too, but I can't stop thinking about glazed donuts.

- Our doctor visits are always smooth and perfect.  I impress the midwife very much with my blood pressure, on account of all the approvingly raised eyebrows I get every time she takes it.  You are measuring perfectly.  I've gained 15 pounds.

- Grandma C got you your first toy: a stuffed giraffe that plays the ABCs, and I held it to my belly and you squirmed a little.

- Lately  sometimes the first thing your dad says when he sees me after work is "Hey there prego!" which means I'm looking especially pregnant that day.  It feels good to finally be obviously pregnant.  No belly rubs from strangers yet, though (thankfully.)

- I just found out that I'm going to have to take more of an unpaid maternity leave than I was expecting, which was stressful.  But there hasn't been too much stress otherwise.  I'm trying to keep things pretty chill for you.

- Your cousin Ryan was born a few days ago.  I hope you guys will be buds.

- I hope you like your room.  It's very peaceful in there since we painted it, and sometimes I just stand in the middle of it with the light streaming in from the windows and feel calm and imagine everything ready for you.  (The house is so not ready for you yet!)

- Dad and I talk about you all the time.  We worry that you won't like us.  We think it will be weird to have someone call us Mom and Dad, eventually.  We know it will be stressful and exhausting having a baby waking us up all night, but I don't think we think about it too much because we know it will be unlike anything we expect anyway.

- We bought our first pack of diapers last week.  Those bad boys are expensive!

- We really hope you're a good breastfeeder, because formula is ridiculously expensive.

- I can't believe how big you supposedly are right now.  I still imagine you as a tiny little fetus sometimes.  Your dad says he always pictures you as a toddler.  I can't wait for you to be a toddler!

- Everybody loves you.  You have no idea how loved you already are.  At Christmas, your Chico family talked about you like you were already here.  You will always have a lot of family, and I hope you grow up to love and appreciate them, because family is everything.  Family is where it's at, little dude.

- (P.S. We really hope you are actually a boy.)  (But we'll love you just the same if you turn out a lady.)

- I'm starting to get nervous about labor and delivery.  My plan is for a drug-induced mostly painless experience, but I'm trying to prepare myself for when things don't go to plan.  Just as long as we're healthy.

Well, I think that's a pretty exhaustive list.  I want to remember everything.  I'm so grateful to have had such an easy, smooth pregnancy so far; I know a lot of women don't get that blessing so I know I'm lucky.  I'm also grateful for my totally easy-going husband, who has not freaked out even once and probably won't ever, who is happy and excited about being a dad, and who is supportive and sweet and loves my new big boobs.  How can a girl be so lucky.

The first step is the hardest

Man, what an inspirational title.

But it's true.  These days, now that I have a computer again and want to get back in the game, I almost panic when I think about writing a blog post.  I think it's stage fright.  Doubts fill my mind, I'm pretty sure I have nothing to say, all the things I do want to say are posts that require more effort than I'm willing to commit to putting forth at the moment.  Or I want to include pictures, but getting pictures from the camera to the laptop is a bit kerjugglish at the moment.  Mostly though I just want everyone to think I'm super cool and I don't want to write a post if I know I'm not going to be able to pull it off, which, as I'm learning, is how I feel almost every time the thought "write a blog post" crosses my mind.  Being honest is super cool, right?  Right, guys?

Anyway, this is not meant to be this kind of post.  It is meant to be a "just friggin' write something" post to get past this stage fright business.  Because I'm learning that that's what I want blogging to be to me; a writing outlet.  And I want to be super cool too.

So in prep for this baby to move in with us in a few months, we've been painting the walls in his room.  Have I told you how ugly the walls in our house are currently painted?  I know I have, but it bears repeating.  Cause they are ugly.  And every wall and every ceiling until we painted the bathroom were the exact same color.

That picture is from before we moved in.  Please don't be fooled - it's a really ugly color in person, especially when the sun isn't shining gloriously.

Anyway, so, we've been painting.  The colors I chose for baby's walls are white and dark grey.  DON'T GIVE ME THAT LOOK.  I know that sounds bland, but the plans I have beyond the wall color are glorious, and I'll prove it to you.  Eventually.  (You can check out my inspiration Pinterest board I've been curating, though, for a very general idea.  Click here.)  The point is, I just got done putting the first coat of grey on the last wall and my heart is about to burst because I think it looks so good.  This is one of those times when I really want to show you the picture I just took but I'm too lazy to hassle with it right now.  Sorry, I guess.  (Lazy.)

I don't know if this is a nesting thing or not, but all I can think of is home improvement and decorating crap.  I don't think I've ever been this motivated to get junk done before in my life.  Painting has taken all week because I've only got time to do one coat every day after work, and my pregnantly-aggravated back feels like absolute murder when I'm done with one coat but I still can't wait to get home so I can do it.  I just want it done.  I want things to finally look good.

Speaking of which, how cute is this painted rug project?  It's next on my list.

Tutorial found here.

I might want to do one in a pale, faded orange for the kid's room.  I have plans to make that project it's own post when I do it, so we can talk about how surprised I am that I want to own chevron anything then.

So...yeah.  Loveyoubye.

Cute vs Functional?

It's 7 in the morning, I'm having my wake-up cup of hot chocolate (which is not a thing, but maybe I should make it so?), and I am a picky person.  We bought a crib yesterday which is our first piece of baby furniture IN OUR LIVES and I'm going to buy some paint for the room this afternoon -- I think they call this "nesting".  I'm interested in decorating for baby, is what I'm saying.  But I want it to be my kind of cute.  This is hard for me, because I have trouble with the gaping rift that often lies between "cute" and "useful", which usually bullies me into a stalemate with myself.  I want things to look good but be functional, when I really sit down and think about it.  Usually when I'm the one shelling out the money.

Especially since we're having a boy.  The boys in my life have not generally been "excess frilliness" types of boys.  Boys tend to be more practical, which is something I value because I need their practicality so desperately to balance me out sometimes.  I don't want a lot of unused, meaningless crap around to bog down my little dude...but I am still me, and I still want his space (and mine) to be pleasing, inviting, and friggin' cute.

Here is something cute, something functional, and something I might actually buy him:

TCTBaby

HelmetZoo

Karenisa

Anyway.  It's 7:30 in the morning and now all I want to do is look at cute baby things.  If you run across cute baby things in your day, please don't hesitate to send a link my way.  Here is what I have so far as to baby things:

What will be the baby room, which has up til now been our dump everything room.

 

 $40!

Plus clothes.  This kid probably already has more clothes than I do (thank you grandmas!)

You all have a lovely day.  I am going to binge.