Nursery Update

Never mind that we're five weeks 'til our due date but the nursery has made significant progress! A couple of weeks ago, Max finished the last bit of work on the nursery foundation. Finishing the last sliver of flooring that needed to go down, painting and laying the quarter-round, and a few touch-ups here and there. He was one proud papa! As he should have been, he did a wonderful job and the nursery looked great. *A special thank you to a couple of brother-in-laws whose intervention helped make this possible!*

Now that the foundation of the room was set, it was time to start filling it up. I had been struggling with furniture decisions for weeks...months...to no avail until I found what I thought I wanted, at Hobby Lobby. I was able to drag Max into the store a few weekends ago to make our purchase and wouldnt you know it...the dresser was gone! I didnt fret, only because I knew that must not have been meant to be, but frustration was more than settling in. We went to Pier One, Target, etc. and found things but nothing worth their price or anything to get excited about. "Why dont we try the antique stores?" Max asked. Hmmm, funny, I think I mentioned that once, but okay. Except it was late on Saturday and the stores were closed and would be closed the next day as well. Although...there is one store that IS open on Sundays...

So the next day we scooted over and had a blast weaving in and out of the jam-packed isles of this antique store. After closely eyeing about every dresser in the place, we both agreed on a little antique number with a large attached mirror. I was pleased with it, the price was $250...well below what we would have had to pay at any other retail store, and we both liked it. I decided to take one last lap around the store to make sure it was "the one". In doing so, I spotted another dresser in the very back of the store that I also liked. Looked good, nice clean lines, mirror, but no price. I called Max back, he liked it too, so we scouted out the sales lady. Oh that one? That just came in last night...I'll take $125 for it. I nonchalantly said okay and that we'd talk it over. After she walked away, Max looked at me and said, "Why didnt you say SOLD?!" Chshesh! We cant let them know we're overly zealous! But it was sold, sold to us and our empty nursery. Two trips later we got it home, another week later we finally got it up into the room. I prepped it with a good cleaning then headed to the hardware store to pick out some paint. Max trusted me to do this alone so he lost all rights to complain about what I picked out. A little uncertain about my color choice, he went to work at disassembling, priming, and painting. Painting was finished last evening and today it was reassembled. I have plans to add some white wash to all the nooks and crannies and to distress the drawer pulls a little bit, just to give it a warmer appearance, but for the most part, its done (and Max now likes the color!). Id still like to find an additional piece, preferably a tall corner cabinet, but we do have two small nightstands in the garage that we could use just in case. Now we just need the crib...! Dont worry, one was ordered today and should be here soon!

35 Weeks!

Max and I had our doctor visit yesterday. The doctor had told me previously that we would begin our discussion on labor at this appointment, so we were looking forward to the visit.

Everything checked out fine with me and the baby. I was actually measuring a centimeter smaller than expected but the doctor said it was nothing to worry about and was probably due to the fact that the baby was carrying so low. Baby is head down and very low she said, and from here on out we should be in the clear of any complications if I were to go into labor early. It is always a relief when we pass little milestones like that!

I asked about the baby’s weight and how they’re able to predict what it’ll be before delivery day. I knew that there would be no exact answer, as is the case with gender, you’re only 100% certain when the baby is finally here. My doctor feels pretty confident in her weight predictions and said that she would check at the next visit but she figured we’d probably have about a 7 lb. baby. I then told her that I was over 8 lbs. and Max was almost 10. Her eyes widened! So we’ll see in another two weeks what she thinks!

We started baby classes this week. I dragged Max along to the Breastfeeding Basics class and all was well until he got a case of the giggles, had to leave the room, and ended up getting locked out for about 20 minutes. I cant take him anywhere. At the Newborn Basics class we were given a tour of the new hospital which is very nice. For anyone that comes to visit us, you’ll have to call and be let into the maternity ward as the entire section is locked to visitors. But I’ll try to give you more information on that when we get closer to October.

Five more weeks until D-Day!

Old Wives Tales

As you all know, Max and I decided to not find out the sex of the baby at our 20 week ultrasound. Surprisingly, more people than not have applauded our decision to wait and be surprised. It would certainly be more convenient if we knew, but less exciting I think. It’s like knowing what you’re getting for Christmas before you even open your gifts. Besides, if we already knew what we were having, we wouldnt get to enjoy old wives tales such as these:

If you prefer sleeping on your left side, you'll have a boy. Right side? A girl.
I switch from side to side but I think I generally prefer my right side. GIRL

Extreme nausea means you are having a girl.
I was lucky and didnt have any sickness, just a bit tired. BOY

If your hands are dry, you are having a boy; soft -- expect a girl.
Dry...but that’s nothing out of the ordinary. BOY

If you're craving citrus, you're having a girl.
Definitely! I have an odd love for lemons and limes...even before being pregnant but fruit has been one of my biggest cravings. GIRL

If your skin breaks out, expect a girl.
This was our first clue that I was pregnant! My skin was terrible in the first trimester but thankfully, things cleared up and have been relatively fine since then. GIRL

If you feel graceful during pregnancy, you'll have a girl. Clumsy? It's a boy.
Definitely clumsy! Just ask me about the time I spilled maple syrup all over the living room floor, rug, couch, Max’s shoe, myself, AND the dog! And I didnt even know I was doing it! BOY

If you gain weight in your face, it means you're having a girl.
I think all of my weight has gone to my thighs! BOY

Craving salt? Expect a boy. A little something sweet? You're having a girl.
Second only to lemon and limes, is salt! My favorite thing about pretzels is the salt at the bottom of the bag! I love salt so cravings were pretty intense in the beginning of the pregnancy. BOY

If your right breast is larger than the left, you are having a girl. If the left is larger, a boy.
They’re both bigger than normal so Woo Hoo!! TOSS UP

Feeling extremely moody? Expect a girl.
My mood has had more swings than a pendulum. GIRL

If baby is low, expect a boy. High, it's a girl.
Im almost 5’11...what’s considered high or low?! TOSS UP

If you're carrying in front, it's a boy. All around your middle? A girl.
I dont think I look pregnant from the back side, which many would argue means a boy. But if peopled realized how small my waist was pre-pregnancy (not to brag or anything!) and how much it has filled out since, they might change their mind. TOSS UP


If a pregnant woman experiences heartburn throughout the 9 months of pregnancy, she’ll have a baby born with a full head of hair.
Definitely have had heart burn during the last trimester.

When your face gets fuller and rounder when pregnant, it means you’re going to have a girl. If your face is long and narrow, it’s a boy.
Still long and narrow. BOY

The Mayan tale adds the mothers age at conception and the year of conception. If the result is a even number then mom is having a girl. If the result is an odd number then a boy is on the way!
29+09=38 GIRL

The drano test combines a tablespoon of Drano and urine together. If the mixture turns green, it’s a girl. If it turns blue, it’s a boy.
I haven’t tried this yet for fear it might explode!

People believe that if you are craving salty foods while pregnant, you can count on having a boy. If you crave sweets, fruit, and orange juice, you are having a little girl.
I craved salty fruit…what does that mean? TOSS UP

You can find out the sex by going off of your parent’s kids and the order. If you are the first born, you will have what your mother had but starting with her second child. If you are the middle child, you will have what she said, but starting with the third child. If you are the last child, you will have what your mother had in the exact order.
Boy, boy, girl, boy, boy, boy, girl. BOY

If your legs get really big, you’re having a boy. If your legs stay in shape and lean, it’s a girl.
What do large thighs mean? BOY

You are having a girl if your beauty disappears during pregnancy. It is said that the girl “steals” the mother’s beauty. If you think that pregnancy has never made you look more beautiful, you might just be having a little boy.
What if you look the same? I was pretty ugly in the beginning, breakouts, bad hair, you name it. Thankfully, most everything has calmed down or returned to normal (which doesn’t necessarily mean “pretty”). TOSS UP

When the pregnant woman is asked to show her hands, it’s a boy if she keeps her palms down and a girl if she shows her palms up.
Max tried this on me in the very beginning and I stuck up my hands like I was telling him to Stop! Im not sure what that means, Mother Nature must be confused. TOSS UP

If the dad-to-be gains weight while you are pregnant, it’s a girl. If he doesn’t gain weight, you’re having a boy.
Daddy gained a few *cough* pounds but has successfully lost them in recent weeks. GIRL

It is said that when you can only think of specific names for a boy or a girl, you will have that particularly baby.
We have definitely concentrated more on girl names! GIRL

In approximately 8 weeks we'll all know which of these proved to be "true"!

Nursery Room Decisions

Who knew that designing a nursery room could be so difficult?! The process is definitely fun but at times can also be overwhelming because of all of the possibilities and/or barriers. We're working within a very limited space that has no closet so we have to be smart with our furniture, choosing pieces that give us the most storage capacity within a minimal size while also being budget conscience. My goal is to design a soothing and comfortable room for the baby without sacrificing our own personal style.

But what kind of furniture would work best? What color of furniture should we go with? What will we like for years to come and not regret before baby number two gets here? What will Max not kill me for buying and subjecting his unborn child to living in for the next year or two?

Initially I wanted a "chocolate mist" crib, a deep brown tone that was absolutely gorgeous. I do still love it but finding coordinating furniture that doesnt cost two months salary is proving to be hard to come by. I altered my thoughts to cubbies, in lieu of regular dressers, but those too are limited. I was about to throw up my hands and vow to live out of Rubbermaid containers.

Then, the heavens opened and angles started to sing as I recalled some furniture pieces I had admired at Hobby Lobby for quite some time. If my memory served me correctly, and in my current stage of pregnancy induced absent-mindedness I couldnt be too sure, the pieces were distressed white bases with solid tops. Not chocolate tops but perhaps I could modify my crib choice. Thoughts of this furniture had been swirling in my head for the past several days, enticing me to go take a look. So tonight, after dinner, that's what I did. And oh how I love it when a plan comes together! I think these pieces are "the ones"! Now I just have to figure out which finish and particular pieces will work best in the room.



Even though I still have to decide on which particular pieces to get, I am at least a little bit relieved to know that we have some viable options...and they're just down the street!

Wake Up!

My cat has a terrible habit of purposely tipping over glasses of water that sit on the nightstand next to the bed. She does it for one of three reasons: she's thirsty and needs a drink, she wants you to get up and either feed her or let her outside, or, because she's in a mischievous mood. Sometimes, its all three. Just this morning, in fact, she tipped over a glass of water at 5:00 am...causing me to sit wide awake for 40+ minutes before I was forced to go downstairs for a cupcake and a glass of milk. What? The baby needs calcium...

Maybe you need to be a crazy cat lady like myself to appreciate this, but I found it hysterically true.

Nursery In Progress

We've officially started the nursery! And by "we" I mean, I tell Max what to do and he does all the work! He doesnt let me lift anything heavy or be around any paint fumes. What's a girl to do?

The nursery is right beside our bedroom, Im still undecided as to if that's a good thing or not. When I want to check on the sleeping baby 24 times in a 15 minute time span, it'll be good. When its screaming its head off at 3:36 am, Im not so sure.

The room technically isnt a bedroom, since it has no closets, and it used to be our office/Mandy's room. Mandy and her couch got booted out a while back and we recently migrated all of the office equipment into the craft room. I cant seem to find a "before" picture of the room, that particular flash drive has been lost in transit, but it was dark and the carpet had seen better days. This pathetic picture of Mandy shows the moss green walls...which prior to that were a hideous cobalt blue color (we know this because previous painters weren't so meticulous). Since we dont know if this baby is a boy or girl, coming up with a nursery theme that wasnt hokey, took some time. An unsuccessful search for neutral bedding resulting in my decision to make the bedding myself... Stop laughing! Even then, the color pallet changed a few times, especially when I ran across this fabric at the quilt shop. So I decided to paint the room (and when I say "I", I mean Max)a robin egg blue. Blue enough to be boyish, but trendy enough to easily transform to girly. The fabric patterns incorporate lots of blues, greens, and pinks, though I'll use the pink patterns sparingly just in case. I dont want this quilt to be the reason for years of therapy in the event we have a boy.

After picking out the perfect shade of blue, which was actually called Kiwi Splash, Max got to work. Primer, first coat, second coat, and a few drips and smudges in between...not that Im keeping track, and Max was done in a matter of days. Then, sometime during all of his mental negotiations, Max had decided that it was necessary to rip up the carpet. *gulp* Que picture demonstration.
The carpet wasnt terrible, but who wants to subject a brand new little baby to dingy, spotty carpet? And dont get me started on the possibilities that lurk within the confines of those threads. Okay, good choice to rip up the carpet!

Max and my brother laid hardwood in our living and dinning rooms last year and I thought we had enough left over to at least get us started in the nursery. That would be a negative. We went to the store to get more of the same stuff, good news, it's on sale! Bad news, it was still going to cost us mucho dinero to get what was needed. So we went from dark cherry hardwood to a very cost effective, blonde laminate. We picked it out, picked it up, and installed it all in one day! Again, using the term "we" loosely. This is several rows into the project but I would like to add that on row TWO, I came in to offer my services. It took me approximately five minutes to screw something up and I was asked to leave. Politely of course. He didnt need my help anyway, he managed to get it all done without me.
And it helps to have furry foreman watching over things. Wshew! That was a lot of work!
At 10:00 pm, it looks pretty darn good! And first thing Sunday morning, it looks darn near heavenly! Once we finish with some quarter-round around the trim work, we can begin filling the nursery with all things baby! The crib that "we've" picked out is called "chocolate mist" or esspresso as I like to refer to it. So I pulled out these old frames Ive had for years, which I intend to use in the nursery, to get an idea how how it would look. The furry feline foreman approves!

So that's the latest in our baby world. All three of us are making progress!

Baby Registries

Greetings! Just a quick post to let you know that we have gift registries available at the following locations:

Babies R Us
http://www.toysrus.com/ControllerServlet?target=viewDetails®istryNumber=99414006

JC Penny
http://www4.jcpenney.com/jcp/GR2_RegistryList_View.aspx?storeRegNo=00537531&CmCatId=21476|21675

Land of Nod
http://www.landofnod.com/gift-registry/guest/viewRegistry.aspx?grid=4344081

Target
http://www.target.com/registry/baby/1K18YEBZB0MVB

The baby's nursery will be robin egg blue, green, and pink with espresso colored furniture. We do not know what we're having so the pink will be minimal unless it comes out a girl.