Parker's Nursery.

Today is finally the day! I actually got around to posting pictures of Parker's sweet little nursery.

There are so many projects and stories that went into the making of this room.

My dad and Bryan put in the board and batton. It was definitely a labor of love. The rocker was the best Craigslist find I have ever seen ($60), but needed a new upholstery job BAD. I found an upholsterer and a neutral toile fabric (so that it can be used for future, "girl" nurseries if needed) and wa-lah!

"Cooking and cleaning can wait till tomorrow, for babies grow up we've learned to our sorrow, so settle down dust, cob webs go to sleep, I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep."

My mother-in-law told me this saying, and I thought it was important to put somewhere that I could see it everyday. I find myself repeating it in my head while I'm looking around our wreck of a house. And while I'm rocking sweet Parker to sleep :).

I put the lyrics to "You Are My Sunshine" in the frames above the crib, but I will eventually put his newborn pictures in them instead!

The little onesies on the wall are Bryan's. I LOVE these.

As you know, we painted our Craigslist crib a few months ago, and my mom, mother-in-law and me made all of the bedding. My mom did the awesome crib skirt (using this tutorial), my mother-in-law made the bumpers (which I don't have in there at the moment), and I made the fitted sheets (using this tutorial) and pillows. The pillows are taken out for sleep-time though!!! We are very paranoid parents, promise :). All fabric was special ordered at JoAnn's.

The light is from Ikea, the rug from Home Depot, curtains from Target, and the ottoman from TJ Maxx. The hanging baskets on the opposite wall are from World Market. The paint color is Valspar Cliveden Gray Morning.

The dresser is from a local antique store. I love love love it, but the drawers are kind of a pain to close. Bummer. The baskets have all of his diapers and changing supplies. We didn't do a changing pad per my mom's advice, and have been having a perfectly fine time changing him all over the house. (I have many "diaper changing stations" set up around the house.)

So that's that! I hope you all liked it. :) I'll try and put a few more details later, but right now I have a precious little baby who is starting to wake up and wants to eat!

EDITED 8/11/13: SOURCES!

Crib: Craigslist, Rug: Lowe's, Rocker: Craiglist (Sealy brand), Ottoman: TJ Maxx, Dresser: Antique, Stacking baskets: TJ Maxx (I still see them from time to time), Side Table: TJ Maxx, Hanging Baskets: World Market (I believe they are discontinued...), Light Fixture: Ikea, Lamp: TJ Maxx, Airplanes: TJ Maxx, Curtains: Target, Bamboo Blinds: Overstock, Sunburst Mirror: Hobby Lobby, Grapevine Balls: Hobby Lobby, Wire Baskets: Paul Michael, Wooden Frame: Target, Metal Wall Frames: Ross, Succulent: Ikea, Eucalyptus Bunch and Vase: TJ Maxx, Chair Fabric: Waverly Country Linen via Joann Fabrics, Crib Skirt & Pillow Fabric: Croscill Home via Joann Fabrics (discontinued, sorry!), Houndstooth Pillow Fabric: Croscill Home via Joann Fabrics, Blue Plaid Fabric on Pillow and Clothing Art: Robert Allen Home via Joann Fabrics (discontinued!), Paint Color: Valspar Cliveden Gray Morning, Satin, Crib Color: Valspar Gray Silt, Satin, Ceiling Color: Valspar Woodrow Wilson Blush, Flat, B&B Color: Martha Stewart Clean White, Satin

Have a great day!

P.S. I'm sharing this here:

Just Arrived

Weight: 8 pounds 5 ounces

Length: 20 inches

Dear Parker,

 

We have had so much fun with you in your first week as a part of our family. You're little presence has made such a wonderful impact on our lives and I literally do not know how I ever lived without you.  After countless hours of sitting and staring at you, we've come to the conclusion that you have your daddy's eyes, forehead, and nose, and my mouth and curly hair (!). You are so handsome, and while the little changes that I see in you each day make me sad because it means you are already growing up, I'm excited to see the little boy that you are turning in to.

You were born with an impressive variety of facial expressions that we get a kick out of. You love to crease your brow and pout your lip out one moment and then smile the next. My favorite face of yours is when you open your eyes wide and make a little "o" with your mouth. You love to be outside listening to the birds and dogs and wind blowing, and you've already spent many hours in the garage having Sonic breaks with your Nonnie and Pops. You love to have your head rubbed and are fascinated with your Snugabunny bouncer. You cry when we give you baths and when you are hungry but are pretty mellow and content the rest of the time. Your daddy is already convinced that you are a leftie. You are also a very gassy little boy! I am seriously amazed that such big sounds can come out of such a little body!

You met almost all of your family members this week including two sets of great grandparents and many great aunts and uncles. Everyone kept talking about what a pretty and mellow little guy you are. After hearing everyone compare your looks to me or your dad's, your Great-Nanny got fed up and said, "He looks like Parker. He has Parker's eyes, and Parker's nose, and Parker's feet, and he is his own person." We all thought that was so sweet! She is so in love with you already!

I have never been more exhausted in my life. Our house doesn't look perfect, and I am lucky if I get to shower at all during the day, but I have never been so happy. Thank you for making me the only thing I ever knew I wanted to be....a mommy. We love you so much and are excited to see the man you become.

Love,

Mommy

Parker Reed.

May I introduce our son, Parker Reed! He was born Friday, April 27, 2012 at 6:18am. I have never felt so much love in my entire life. We are so blessed. More to come later :).








Hostess Gifts

Hello, hello!!

Just wanted to share the gifts I put together for the wonderful friends and co-workers who hosted my showers a few weeks ago. I saw an idea very similar to this on Pinterest, but of course I didn't pin it because many of my hostesses follow me and would have seen it and now of course I can't find it! Typical.

We picked up a few flats of pretty petunias at a garden center and wrapped them in some adorable wrapping paper I got a few months ago.

Add some twine and a little note and wa-la! A cute little gift. After an hour of brainstorming, my mother-in-law and I finally came up with "Thank You, May Your Life Bloom With Blessings!" We thought it was fitting :).

Of course, the flowers can't stay in this type of packaging-- they need to be re-potted or planted in a flower bed, but I think they are a sweet, very afforable warm-weather gift if you have a lot of hostesses to think about!

Anyone seen any other good hostess gifts lately? I LOVE to look at this kind of stuff! Have a wonderful day!

38 Weeks

Still here. Still cooking! And almost a week behind in bump posts, whoops!!

How Far Along: 38 Weeks.

Baby Size: I lied last week, the food comparisons continue to grow-- baby is the size of a pumpkin! Our growth  ultrasound on my birthday told us that he is between 8-8.5 pounds. Like, right now. He's his daddy's boy.

Total Weight Gain: Okay, so I've had two doctor appointments since my last post. It's getting a bit ridiculous. Anyway, I gained 2 pounds at the first one (for a grand total of 36 pounds) and then lost 2 at my second one (which apparently happens at the end). So 34 pounds.

Maternity Clothes? Yes. The above dress is my lone maternity dress. Target. $7 on saaaaale.

Stretch Marks? The little guys are still there. And I am still sad. I've gotten kind of obsessive with looking at them. I just hope they go away enough that I can wear a bikini again!

Sleep: Meh. I am over trying to sleep. I get really excited if I find a position that is comfortable for more than an hour. 

Best moment this week: Just trying to soak up time with Bryan. I went out to dinner/lunch with a bunch of my friends for my birthday (3 times!) and had SO much fun. I love love love my friends and hope that I am still good about hanging out once he's here. I got an awesome mommy massage on Friday. OH, and we finally went on a hospital tour. All of the nurses were SO nice and it made me a lot less nervous about staying there! (I have a weird fear of hospitals, nurses, needles...all of that).

Miss Anything? Well, I'm SO done being uncomfortable (I am a fickle pregnant lady), but I know I will miss my bump and him moving around in my belly once he's here.

Movement: Movement has slowed quite a bit this week. He tries to stretch every once in a while (to my dismay), so I have to remind him that stretching would be a lot easier if he would just come OUT and meet us! He still gets the hiccups a few times a day though. I LOVE it!

Food Cravings: Sweets. Powdered donuts. I know, I'm so bad. And Sonic Sweet Tea has been Ah-mazing lately!

Anything making you queasy or sick? No.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: Well, at my 37 week appointment I found out that I was 2-3cm dilated, 70% effaced. At my 38 week appointment I was 4cm dilated, 70% effaced. My doctor says I could go any day, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up....although that's a very hard thing to do. :( Still having Braxton Hicks at night.

Belly button in or out? Flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody most of the time: So happy but SO impatient.  

Looking forward to: Meeting him. That's it. :)

Things to Remember (this is new): Well, sometimes I talk to him when I'm alone. That's a little embarrassing to admit. Just about when he's going to come and what he will look like and what kind of baby he will be. I want to remember waking up in the middle of the night with Braxton Hicks and thinking "This could be real!", even though it's a big let down when it isn't. Still exciting though :). I also need to remember how excited everyone is for us. When you're nine months pregnant you get a lot of attention and it's hard to appreciate it when you're huge and exhausted. :)

Talk to you all later!! Oh, and THANK YOU for all of the sweet comments and birthday wishes! I have been horrible at responding to comments for like, months now, but I do read every single one and really appreciate them SO very much :).

37 Weeks. Full Term!

Alright, I'm almost 38 weeks now, but here are the pictures and post from when I was 37 weeks. Also, it's my birthday today! The big 2-4! Woo-hoo! I'm taking the day off and pampering myself :).

How Far Along: 37 Weeks. Full freaking term. Ahhhh!

Baby Size: The size of a watermelon. That's as big as the fruit comparisons get, friends!

Total Weight Gain: Oh man....34 pounds. I gained 4 pounds in two weeks!

Maternity Clothes? Si.

Stretch Marks? Oh man....it happened. I have 3 stretch mark buddies now that are about 3 inches below my belly button. I can't see them that well at all (they are light pink thank goodness), but I do tend to obsess over them while looking in the mirror. Bryan swears he can't see them, but I think he's just being nice. They are really little though, so I'm hoping they go away quickly!

Sleep: Yuck. We don't sleep anymore. We nap.

Best moment this week: Hmmmm....well we finished the nursery (I took pictures this weekend), and I think we have decided on a name for him! But we are still waiting to officially announce once he's born. I finally feel like I have "nested" enough that if he came today, I would be okay! Also, we met with our doula for almost 3 hours the other night and it got me so excited and motivated for getting him here!

Miss Anything? No, just normal sleep as of right now. But I won't be getting that back for a while!

Movement: Still lots of movement, though he dropped some this week, so I haven't been getting my ribs bruised as much! We are trying to get a video of him moving my belly around, but he always stops right when we hit the record button. Bummer.

Food Cravings: Sweets. Water and lemonade.

Anything making you queasy or sick? No.

Gender: Still a sweet baby boy.

Labor Signs: I'm so excited that I can answer this one! I have had LOTS and lots of pretty intense Braxton Hicks the past few night and some other not so pretty signs that labor is coming....if you know what I mean. ;) The Braxton Hicks have been so intense that they wake me up several times a night. Lots of back pain....but I'm kind of used to that now haha.

Belly button in or out? Pretty flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy!!! Cannot wait to meet him.

Looking forward to: Mostly just meeting him. And soaking up pregnancy and time with his daddy while I can. Oh, and we have our last big ultrasound this morning! I can't wait to see his chubby little cheeks :).

Things to Remember (this is new): The way his hiccups feel. I think I will cry the first time he gets them when he's an outside baby :). I have been crying at EVERYTHING. It's getting a little ridiculous. Also, reading "Love You Forever" by myself was a terrible idea. That really got the tears going! I really want to remember my bump. That may sound weird, but I've gotten so used to it, I basically don't remember not having it.

That's it! Let's see if I can get nursery/shower/other baby posts up before he gets here!

36 Weeks. Eeeek!

I think we should all just accept that blogging not a strong point for me at the moment. Moving on..... :)

I have officially reached "huge" pregnant. Oh what fun!!!

How Far Along: 36 Weeks. Only a few more days till this little guy is fully cooked!

Baby Size: Ah I have no clue.....over 6 pounds. A cantaloupe.

Total Weight Gain: 30 pounds!

Maternity Clothes? Yes, yes, and yes.

Stretch Marks? No, although I think they could happen.....my skin is pretty stretched to the max, so we will see :).

Sleep: Bleh. I don't like sleeping anymore. I either don't sleep or am only halfway asleep because I am so uncomfortable. My poor back! And hips! Oh to sleep on my stomach.....

Best moment this week: Well....a lot of good things! I got to see my mom and mom-in-law last weekend which was amazing. We had so much fun! I had 2  absolutely adorable showers and am officially stocked up and ready for him to GET HERE (stilllllll trying to finish all of those thank you cards!). We have somewhat finished his nursery (Holy Moly!), we got maternity pictures back and they are wonderful.... but mostly I've just been soaking up the kicks and hiccups that I know won't always be inside of me :(.

Miss Anything? Well, normal sleep. Not grunting to get off the couch. But in all honesty, I'm sad that I won't be pregnant for much longer. I don't want him to grow up! I will miss it, I think.

Movement: Oh yes. He attacked me in church this morning till I was about to cry. He was all up in my ribs. He LOVES my ribs. Still gets the hiccups and loves to morph my belly into weird shapes. :)

Food Cravings: Nothing in particular.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope.

Gender: Baby boy!

Symptoms: Sore back ALL. the. time. Calf cramps like crazy.

Labor Signs: I don't think so!

Belly button in or out? Hmmmm. Flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody most of the time: I have never been so happy in my life!!!

Looking forward to: Nesting. Pampering myself a little bit before D-Day. Meeting him. Naming him. And spending some quality time with his daddy before he arrives :). 

Things to Remember (this is new): His daddy laying his head on my belly to talk to him (I didn't let him see me get choked up), his daddy FREAKING out when I got a bad calf cramp and bolted out of bed yelling some not so great words (apparently he is on edge that I will go into labor at any minute), going into his nursery right when I wake up just to sit and think about him actually being there. Cheesy yes, but true :).

 

 

I have a LOT to catch up on! Talk to you all later!!!