Baby Nursery...

At one time I had planned to spotlight each room in my house as I decorated it.  But then the infertility thing happened and all my attention, free time and much of my disposable income was tied up in getting pregnant.   Decorating rooms in my newly built house just didn't seem so important anymore.  But last June, several months pregnant, we found out that we were having a little girl and suddenly I was consumed with planning the perfect nursery.  Finding out that we were having a little girl was thrilling and we were both very excited.  Just think about all the smocking and cute hair bows!  But then I got a little concerned that I might make her room too pink and green, that it would be overly estrogen filled and that would make poor Husband, literally, the odd man out.  So for much of the summer I spent my time obsessing about what kind of gender neutral shade of yellow and cream I should apply.  And this obsession sort of drove Husband crazy because he assured me that he wouldn't feel left out if I went with my instincts and made the room reflect that a little girl lived there.

 

And so I listened.

 

 

The lighting fixture was purchased at Pottery Barn Kids.  Husband installed it one afternoon with no trouble or assistance.  I had debated on whether or not to change out the fixture as the original light was in good condition... since it was less than a year old.  I'm glad that I did it as I think it adds a lot to the room.

 

 

I was super excited to find a crib that is considered "low-profile" since neither Husband or myself is very tall. I loved the simple lines of the crib and seeing how this would be a piece of furniture that most likely would be used again I didn't want to go overly ornate or frilly since we could have a son at some point. The bedding was one of two choices from Serena and Lily... Husband made the final decision and I loved the French and Indian motifs.  Finding the bedding helped me make fabric decisions.

 

 

The Indian inspired storage baskets, although rather expensive, have became a favorite of mine for their practicality.  The pink textured curtain panels were made by my grandmother.  I think they add a lot of drama to the room.  The shelving unit was a bargain buy from Target.  It is one of those build-it-yourself jobs and for what it costs, if it gets destroyed in a couple of years-- oh well.  It serves the purpose.  At some point I hope to line the back of the unit with fabric left over from my rocker.

 

 

 

Since the room already had a built in desk I decided to use this space as a changing station.  It will be several years before the baby can sit at a desk and do homework, so in the time being, I purchased a curtain from Land of Nod and had my mother hem it to the right length.  A tension rod hold it in place.  Behind the curtain is room for me to store baby items like diaper boxes and other items that I may not want to display.  The built-in cabinets store wipes and diapers from our showers and also can be a place to keep burp cloths, bibs, baby towels and all sort of baby goodness.

 

 

The teal blue chest adds a little pop of color and from the moment I saw this chest in a little store outside of Dunn, I knew I had to have it.  The blue doesn't show up in any of my fabrics, but it goes and I find the color very pleasing.  It serves as another great storage place, currently holding extra crib sheets, blankets, baby shoes and accessories.  The glider rocker was a gift from my Aunt Janet.  It came from Target and originally the cushions were an off-white microfiber.  I had a local upholster recover the cushions in a pink and white heavy weight fabric.  I think recovering the glider cushions gives the chair a custom look and really adds to the room.

Currently the baby sleeps in her bassinet and has yet to spend more than a few hours in her room since birth.  I'm hoping that once she gets a little older that she will spend many happy nights and days in this room!

 

 

Crib:  Pottery Barn Kids, Kendall Low-Profile Crib

 

Bedding, Storage Baskets, Changing Pad & Cover: Serena & Lily, Lola Bedding Collection, Basic Punch Cover

 

Glider & Ottoman:  Target

 

Lighting Fixture: Pottery Barn Kids, Olivia Mini- Chandelier

 

Shelving Unit:  Target

 

Window Panels:  my Grandma

 

Curtain Rods:  Lowes

 

Chest:  Vibra's (Dunn, NC)

 

Fabric (excepting changing station):  The Cloth Barn (Goldsboro, NC)

 

 

 

 

 



Holiday Wrap-Up...

Did you survive the holidays?  I'm pleased to say that Husband, Baby and myself did, indeed, survive and to some degree actually thrived.  

 

 

Merry! Merry!  Christmas Morning with Santa's toys

Yes, it was hard to drag ourselves to all the different holiday functions, but spending time with loved ones is never a bad time... trying to figure out the baby logistics on the other hand can be a bit frustrating.

Christmas morning was spent in our home.  This year we had breakfast at our house.  My parents came with my father's prized electric griddle and between us four, we prepared breakfast, learned to use a camcorder and entertained the baby.  Husband's parents and brother came to eat along with Husband's uncle and three of his boys.  I think it is the beginning of a nice family tradition.

Mid-flip... 



New Year's was less of a festive celebration.  For the first time since I was little, I slept through the new year... I remember poor Husband waking me up as the ball was about to drop.  I quickly shut my eyes and went back to sleep.  Quite the role reversal as I'm the one normally waking him up.

These days I have no trouble sleeping.  Used to, if I stayed at home all day-- just hanging out at the house I'd have trouble sleeping at night because I just hadn't done enough or I slept too late.  Now as soon as Little One goes down, I curl up on the couch and that's all she wrote folks.  I'm down for the count. 

Little One is sleeping through the night and has been since she was 5 weeks old... I on the other hand am not as I get up sometime between 3 and 4 to pump... which can take sometime and then I sometimes find it hard to go back to sleep.  I'm punishing myself just so I can stock-pile milk, but it gives me some piece of mind knowing that in a few days I'll be back at work.

That's the big question now... "when do you go back to work?" or "are you going back to work?" and when I reply that I soon go back to work I get the look of pity.  Apparently it is  going to be tough... and I can honestly say I will miss being at home with my baby, but a large part of me needs to be at work.  Monetary benefits aside, I need to have something to distract me and put a little more structure in my day.  Will I be sad to leave my sweet girl?  Yes.  But the reality of it all is that work is something I have to do-- for me and for her.  Her practical daddy doesn't understand the need for pretty hair bows and shiny baby loafers... and if I work, those whimsical items will be her reality.

So that is how I'm rationalizing going back to work.  I work for her... so I can contribute and set a good example.  So we can continue to live in the lifestyle that I have became accustomed to and so she can get accustomed to too.

So to summerize...  We thrived this holiday season.  Started a new tradition.  We are loving experiencing things through the Baby's eyes.  The baby is sleeping through the night and if I wasn't a masochist, I'd be sleeping too.  Work is looming, sooner than later but if we want pretty bows and fancy shoes, Momma's got to work!

I hope your Holiday was good too!

Rolling on the Rolling Coaster...

If you were a fly on our wall, you'd think I'm sick.  I've done nothing but lay around the house for the sake of the two embryos that were implanted Sunday morning.  Doctor's orders... two days of rest.

Yesterday also marked my entry into the emotional roller coaster that is IVF.  The embryologist that performed the transfer had a heavy Asian accent and neither me nor the Husband could hardly understand her.  She told us, I think, that we had two really nice embryos to transfer, one being very good... and possibly one to freeze tomorrow.

One?  What happened to Friday's report that everything was going great?  My heart sunk... and then I started to obsess and worry that these two little guys that were being left under by supervision were not going to make it... because let's be honest, I have no idea how to be a normal person and just relax and go with the flow.

Regardless, I had to suck it up and before I knew it, the little guys were safely in my uterus.  I think the Husband has a whole new respect for what women go through with gynecological tools...

Then today, while I was laying in the bed feeling sorry for myself, worried that we'd have to go through all the medication and surgery again... the lab called.  The embryologist that I had been working with all last week called and said that they were going to freeze 5 embryos today!

Suddenly much of the pressure I had been putting on myself was lifted.... relief.  Not that this changes anything really, but for whatever reason, it makes me feel less stressed-- a little less crazy and a lot less overwhelmed.

Continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers...  we definitely need them!

Snowed-In Snow Den...

The view from my home office slash guest bedroom is rather wintery looking... Isn't it?  For the second time in a few weeks it has snowed once again-- which is rare in this part of the world. 

Actually it snowed a little bit and then came the freezing rain, which just cripples everyone and everything.  Channel 5 news spent the entire morning showing clips of 18 wheelers jack-knifing on overpasses.

Yesterday the school children had a two hour school day... and since 1:30pm yesterday afternoon I've not set foot outside.

I'm not big on being cold... or wet... and especially not cold and wet at the same time.  But I'm being as productive as one can be in this sort of situation or as Steven Cobert so rightly said, "the weather of Northern Aggression."

So far I've ordered underwear to clear out the credit my Victoria Secrets credit card had on it from before Christmas.  I've done a load of laundry and I'm seriously thinking of starting another load.  I made coffee and at this very moment I'm soaking dishes from the night before.  The Red Baron Mini Pizza I've made myself for lunch is cooling on the stove and after I eat that pizza, I'm going to start working on ideas for my sisters wedding.

I've also did some actual work-work.  Just moments ago I started to try to reschedule a meeting that was cancelled yesterday due to our two hour school day... and I copied my principal in on the emails so he'd know just how dedicated I am to my craft.

Who says you can't brown-nose from your snowed-in, snow-den? 

My sister's birthday is rapidly approaching so I'm even looking on-line for possible gift ideas as well.  I'm so content right now sitting in my pj's doing exactly what I want to do.

Let's hope this afternoon is just as productive.