Sneak Peek: Nursery Progress

After a full weekend at home last weekend, we made some pretty serious progress on the nursery. We've still got a lot to do, but expect a full post on the progress so far after this weekend!

Here is our nursery checklist:

• Return dresser, coffer, and bedside table to McIntosh Cottage Antiques. We have a great arrangement with my parents and were able to turn in the first pieces we borrowed from them and will eventually pick out a few other pieces for the nursery.
• Sell and move bed. Our old bed became someone's new bed!
• Finish the inside of the new closet.
• Caulk new bookshelf and closet
• Mud new sheet rock on new closet.
• Finish hanging trim.
• Caulk all new trim.
• Remove window cornices.
• Replace old window trim.  We decided to skip this. Our current trim fits perfectly with our old cornices that we are going to recover...so instead, we painted this trim white!
• Paint the room
• Paint the  new closet doors and built-in shelves. 
• Build, cover, and hang new window cornices.
• Put together the crib.
• Purchase and install new furniture.

There are still a lot of things that need to be done, like general organization, and we're going to get started on that this weekend. We have two more baby showers (we're so spoiled! Thank you sweet friends) and those will really make a difference in the organization process! Right now, we want to be organized, but still don't exactly have a lot of the things we need! As we get more and more prepared though, we'll be more organized.

We're planning to finish the painting this weekend which should allow us to start stocking the built in shelves in the nursery and organize the closet!

For now though, here is a little photo to whet your appetite...

The crib has finally been assembled!

27 Week Bumpdate!

27 Weeks!

How far along: 27 Weeks!

Baby Size: Our little girl is about the size of a cucumber or a rutabaga. She's about 14 inches long and weighs over 2 pounds now. This week her brain is really developing and she's starting to open her eyes. She can start to recognize my voice, and Adam's! 

Weight gain: I had an appointment last week and had gained a little less than 3 pounds, which puts me up to about 20 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.

Maternity clothes: Full time

Sleep: I'm sleeping well and can't seem to get enough of it! I need a few more hours in the day so that I can get to bed earlier at night!

Gender: GIRL!!!!!

Movement: She is moving like crazy and I love it!

Best moment this week: I passed my glucose test! AND we made some huge progress on the nursery over the weekend. Adam and I had a great weekend that included dinner with friends, some work together on the nursery and some good down time. Keep checking back for a nursery update!

Looking forward to: I'm looking forward to another great weekend. We're having dinner with some friends, doing more work on the nursery and some general clean up around the house. I'm loving this weather, so I'm hoping to get in the yard a little this weekend too!

Food cravings: No serious cravings. I'm still eating a lot of fruit and I've been craving coffee, specifically nonfat lattes this week...but I think that has more to do with the weather! It's finally starting to feel like fall!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing, but I am really having to watch what I eat, not so much the type of food but the amount. I'm finding that I'm getting full very quickly  and so I'm really watching my portions and trying to stick with lots of small meals, versus three large meals. 

What I miss: I am missing my old body, regular non-swollen feet, and red wine this week! Good news: I should get pretty much all of that back in just a few more months...though my old body might not be quite the same!

Symptoms: Still lots of swelling with my feet. But, I did have a really great week in terms of swelling. I was able to really keep it to a minimum. I'm not sure what the difference was, but it sure was nice!

Nursery: Stay tuned for a nursery update...we've been painting, moving furniture in and starting to get organized!

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Mood: My mood overall is pretty good! We've got a Child/Infant CPR Class this week that I think will really help us feel a little more prepared. I'm also feeling excited but nervous that we're starting to get so close! In ten weeks, she'll be full term! And I know we'll have more time to go, but that is pretty exciting/scary!!!

Workouts: I had a pretty good week of workouts. I walked about 14.25 miles this week and painted for about 4 hours (don't worry...it was low fume paint) and did about 2 hours of gardening. As much as I love the walking, I think I'm going to have to cut back just a little over the next several weeks. But, I'm trying to be optimistic!

Adam and I are starting to feel the heat! The nursery is really shaping up. Putting all of this together with Adam has been so much fun and he has really been a trooper! This week he told me that he had really enjoyed this whole process, watching my little stomach grow and preparing for our baby. It was a really sweet and special moment. I'm one lucky girl and our little one is so blessed to have such a sweet daddy. He's already starting to spoil her and each night when I get home, he has the lamps turned on in the nursery...I even caught him lounging in the rocker earlier this week. He's getting ready!

Dad is getting ready for his little girl!

26 Week Bumpdate!

How far along: 26 weeks!

Baby Size: Our sweet girl is about the size of a hothouse cucumber or a head of lettuce (two very different vegetables!) She is somewhere between 9 and 14 inches long and weighs over two pounds.

Weight gain: Headed to the doctor later this week, but up a total of 17 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight at my last appointment.

Maternity clothes: Oh yes!

Sleep: I am still sleeping well and I feel so lucky! I know that this can be the time when insomnia can start to kick in and, knock on wood, so far it hasn't hit me. I've really been sleeping well and thoroughly enjoying my sleep!

Gender: GIRL!!!!!

Movement: I'm afraid we might have quite the little wild child on our hands! She is a mover! I love feeling this little one move and I can definitely tell when she is awake because she is constantly on the move! Over the past few weeks her movements have become more pronounced and it's been so much fun to share with Adam and my family!

Best moment this week: We had a great weekend in Jackson celebrating our friends Molly and Brian as they got married on Saturday. It was a fun filled weekend and we got to see lots of friends, not to mention the wedding was absolutely beautiful! 

Looking forward to: I'm really excited about a weekend at home with no plans. It seems like Adam and I have been going and going for weeks and weeks and we finally get to take a little breather. We're excited to be home this weekend to work on painting the nursery and getting a little closer to getting that room set up for our little one. 

Food cravings: I haven't had many crazy food cravings lately...fruit as usual, and I've had an occasional craving for a sausage biscuit, which is a little out of the ordinary!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing!

What I miss: I am starting to miss my regular clothes. I've tried to be really good about not buying tons and tons of maternity clothes and while I've been successful there, having such a limited wardrobe can make life difficult sometimes! But, we're almost there! 

Symptoms: Swelling feet...as usual. I'm pretty sure this symptom is one that is going to be around for the remainder of my pregnancy. For now, I'm just trying to continue to drink lots of water and be smart about getting my feet up when I can!

Nursery: We haven't made any more progress on the nursery, but we're hoping to get the painting finished this weekend. We're also hoping to get the changing table/dresser painted sometime this week. Once we can check these items off the list, we'll be a lot closer!

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Mood: This week has had its ups and downs for sure. This is our busy season at work and seems to be busy season at home as well. I've had a few little meltdowns, but in between I've been in a great mood. I feel good, and have been able to get back to walking my four mile loop without a lot of round ligament pain and that has certainly helped me feel more like myself!

Workouts: This week I walked 18.25 miles! Though I have been longing to run, these walks have been really helpful for my mood and my overall well being. I'm looking forward to the day when I can get out and go for a run though!

We are so excited at all that is to come...a little overwhelmed at what we have left to do, but excited. The overall theme I've recognized in our lives over the past few weeks is how loved we are, and how loved our sweet little one already is. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such supportive people. Everything is slowly coming together and we'll be ready for our little girl before you know it!

Our First Baby Shower

First off, let me just say, that I have THE BEST, SWEETEST friends on the planet. They have spoiled me (and our sweet little one) rotten! 

Last Sunday, four of my closest friends got together and hosted a beautiful baby shower for me. Everything was absolutely perfect and it was so nice to be surrounded by so many friends!

THE BEST petit fours on the planet...not to mention they are super cute!

A picture of me with my mother in law (left) and my mom (right).

The lovely hostesses!

Loved their set up with punch and mimosas!

The shower was so much fun that I forgot to take more pictures! And wow was everyone so generous! Adam and I were blown away by all of the thoughtful gifts! With the nursery still in the works, we had to create a little corner stash for the gifts in our sun room. I may or may not have turned our dining room table into baby gift/thank you note central!

The stash...minus the golf clubs, Baby Girl isn't quite ready for that yet!

All of the gifts were so sweet and thoughtful. We received so many items that we truly need for our little one and since the shower, I have felt much more at ease about us being "ready" for this! And one thing I can tell you for sure...our sweet girl is going to be one stylish little babe!

Sweet Sara Beth gave our sweet girl her first Lilly
in the form of the teeniest little bathing suit you've ever seen!

Aunt Chandler of course came through in providing our babe
her first pair of boots (check out those pink bows on the back)!

Thank you thank you to the sweet hostesses and all of our friends who came to shower our baby girl. She is one loved little nugget and I feel pretty darn lucky to be her mama!

Nursery Progress: Priming and Painting

So, the weekend of my first baby shower, this happened...

The "crew" at work...

Adam did not smile for the camera...

Dad admiring his handy work!

Closet doors primed...CHECK!

Mom priming our new built-in bookshelves...

Mom painting trim...

Dad installing trim...

Mom at it again, painting more trim...

A HUGE Thank you to my parents for spending the weekend working with us. My dad and Adam tackled a little surprise project (courtesy of the picky pregnant lady) and everyone took a turn with the paint brush or roller.

While my mom and I were at the baby shower on Sunday, my dad and Adam finished priming the nursery, got a coat of paint on three of the four walls, and painted the changing table/dresser with its first coat of paint. We're well on our way!

25 Week Bumpdate!

25 Weeks!

How far along: 25 weeks! Can't believe how time is flying by!

Baby Size: Our baby is the size of an eggplant this week. She is 9-13 inches long and weight about 1.7 pounds. This week her hands are fully developed (she even has fingerprints now!) and the structure of her spine is beginning to form! So many exciting things are happening!

Weight gain: As of my last appointment, I'm up a total of 17 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.

Maternity clothes: Pretty much in them all the time, with the exception of a few tops (like the one above...)

Sleep: I'm sleeping well and feel like I just can't get enough! I'm hoping that I'll continue to sleep well for a few more weeks at least!

Gender: GIRL!!!!!

Movement: Our sweet girl loves to move! This weekend she FINALLY let my mom feel a few really good kicks. It was such a special moment!

Best moment this week: It is a toss up! This week has been a great one. We had a wonderful (and productive) visit with my parents and our first baby shower! Adam and my dad stayed at the house and worked on painting the nursery while my mom and I went to the shower. It was so much fun! More to come on that later!

Looking forward to: I'm looking forward to a fun wedding weekend this weekend! A dear friend of mine is getting married and I can't wait for the festivities! I even managed to find a cute maternity cocktail dress for the big day (not an easy task...)

Food cravings: I've been craving fruit, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. Lucky for me these are all healthy! I also had a little craving for Mexican food on Sunday night and so we went out for a spontaneous double date with our neighbors! Such a fun time...it definitely makes the list of best moments of this week! We laughed so much it hurt! 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing!

What I miss: Still missing my regular feet. AND for the first time in a while, missing a good glass of red wine. We went to dinner with my parents on Saturday night and Adam had a glass of Chianti that I had a tiny sip of...it was SOOOO GOOD. Now I know what I want to have with my Jimmy Johns Beach Club sandwich when this little one arrives!

Symptoms: Swelling feet, feeling full and uncomfortable after eating (even tiny snacks), round ligament pain and Braxton Hicks contractions, and having a few other fun issues...all normal, but it will be nice once some of these things go away!

Nursery: The nursery is partially painted! 3/4 of the room is primed with pale pink and the other 1/4 is waiting on primer. In about two weeks, we'll have a chance to finish priming and painting the nursery. The changing table/chest of drawers has a coat of paint on it as well and things are starting to come together! We'll be excited to get the painting finished so we can move the gifts from our dining room into the nursery! Currently our dining room table is serving as the Baby Gift/Thank you note hub. 

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Mood: I'm in a great mood and getting more and more excited each day about meeting this little one. Adam seems to be getting more and more excited as well and it's so fun to watch, He is going to be such a wonderful dad...I get chills just thinking about it!

Workouts: My workouts were a little slim this week due to a busy week and some gross weather! I walked about 13.75 miles total. I've had to scale back my walking just a little bit because of some round ligament pain and Braxton Hicks contractions I've been experiencing while walking. But I'm drinking plenty of water when I do walk and cutting my distance a little and it seems to help!

This week things are really starting to feel real. We are so overwhelmed by the generosity of some of our dear friends and our baby girl is already so loved by everyone. We are so very lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful and sweet family and friends. We are so blessed to have this little angel on the way and cannot wait to welcome her in just a few months!

Nursery Update

The last time we talked about the nursery, it was empty. Well, that is still the case, but we have made some progress!!! 

If you remember, this was the checklist we were using...and you'll see that quite a few items have been checked off!

• Return dresser, coffer, and bedside table to McIntosh Cottage Antiques. We have a great arrangement with my parents and were able to turn in the first pieces we borrowed from them and will eventually pick out a few other pieces for the nursery.
• Sell and move bed. Our old bed became someone's new bed!
• Finish the inside of the new closet.
• Caulk new bookshelf and closet
• Mud new sheet rock on new closet.
• Finish hanging trim.
• Caulk all new trim.
• Remove window cornices.
• Replace old window trim.
• Paint.
• Build, cover, and hang new window cornices.
• Put together the crib.
• Purchase and install new furniture.

This weekend we are going to check off another item, painting! But, in the meantime, here is a look at some of the ideas we have for the nursery. 

We're planning to paint the walls in the nursery "Elephant Pink". This is a great Benjamin Moore color that is very toned down and sweet. We're excited about the pale pink walls and will be painting the trim bright white. 

Benjamin Moore - Elephant Pink

We've decided to paint the dresser/changing table a pretty pale green. We're using Benjamin Moore Guiliford Green, which is an "also known as" of Farrow and Ball's "Cooking Apple Green". I'm going to remove the hardware and give the brass a good polish and then put it back on. I think the bright brass will look great with the pale green. 

Dresser/Changing Table

Benjamin Moore - Guilford Green

We've ordered our bedding from babybedding.com. This is a great and fairly affordable website. I would actually recommend it for more than just baby bedding! You can order items or order the fabrics you like by the yard and make them yourself. We have decided to have them make our bumpers (which we will removed before we put our sweet babe in the crib) and ordered the fabric so that we can make the crib skirt. 

We also ordered two crib sheets. 

Sneak preview of the baby bedding with the
"Love Bird Damask" sheet.

Sneak preview of the baby bedding with the
"Love Bird" sheet.

Our bumpers and crib skirt are both white pique with blue linen trim (and ties for the bumpers) and a pale pink linen on the inside of the bumpers and the bottom of the crib skirt. We wanted the bedding to be kind of plain so we could spice things up with fun crib sheets!

I'm a little bit of a crib sheet fanatic...as in I've ordered two and I'm pining for two more...

Close-up of the Love Bird Damask sheet.

Close-up of the Love Bird Sheet

I think the little birds are so sweet! I've also got two Serena and Lily crib sheets on my wish list!

I love the Starburst pattern!

The zebras are my favorite!!

What are we going to put all this bedding on, you ask??? The Pottery Barn Kids Fillmore Crib. Adam and I ordered this crib MONTHS ago and got a great deal (it was on big time sale...). It is still in the box and currently resides under the guest bedroom bed. We're hoping we'll get a chance to put it together in the coming weeks. In the meantime, here is a picture of the crib that I borrowed from Pottery Barn Kids...

The Fillmore Crib

And last, the super splurge item that I just can't get out of my head is this BlaBla Kids mobile. This is just one of the mobiles that I've fallen in love with. We have not splurged on this because I'm hoping to find something similar for a much lower price...but I can't stop thinking about this sweet thing!

BlaBla Kids Mobile

We still have TONS to do to get the nursery done, and the Thanksgiving deadline I've given us is fast approaching. That said, we're really enjoying picking things out and seeing it all come together! Our nursery glider and ottoman came in last week and are currently residing in the guest bedroom. I'm hoping that after a weekend of painting, we'll be able to move the glider in and start enjoying it!

So excited about getting all of this ready for our sweet girl!