the nursery

 

 

 

 

 

ABC art: designed in Adobe Illustrator, printed through MPix, frames from Michaels

Prince of Peace: $18.95 with employee discount

Rise and Shine: pegboard from Home Depot ($6.95), wire baskets from Home Depot ($11.95) and spray painted, Rise and Shine made with my Silhouette and painted with paint on-hand

Giant horrifying moose: The one thing Josh requested for his birthday, which doesn't fit anywhere else in the apartment except by the Diaper Genie, Costco

ASHER letters: made using this tutorial

Crib and dresser (also from JCPenney, but currently unavailable)

Bedding: bumper fabric ($5.98 per yard), bumper ties and dust ruffle band ($6.98 per yard), bumper piping ($5.98 per yard), dust ruffle (Kona solid from Joann, can't remember yardage price)

Dinosaur silhouettes: 12x12 canvases from Michaels, stencils made with my Silhouette, paint on-hand

Glider: Craig's List ($40), recovered cushions ($6.98 per yard)

End table: Homegoods ($50, used a gift card)

Book basket: Homegoods ($10)

Lamp: Bed, Bath, and Beyond ($15, used coupon)

Celtic knot art: hand-drawn gift from friend 

 

There are still a few spaces on the nursery walls that could use a little something extra, but for now I'm perfectly pleased with all of it.



fulness

I don't know what to write except that my heart has never been so full, so complete, so overflowing with joy, love, and the deepest gratitude.

For the first time in my life I'm understanding what it means to have the Lord pour out blessings so much that I don't have "room enough to receive [them]."

the Babe Wilson

I don't believe you've met yet. Let me introduce you.

 

Asher Joshua

08.22.12

4:55 p.m.

8 lbs. 4 oz.

21 inches

 

Perfection.

distractions

Tennis four-square

Racquet air-guitar





Dominion



Badminton madness



Brownie sundaes

Voodoo Donuts

Over-exposed photos shot in manual

Powell's

Children's books

And sewing books

Food carts

One day past the due date and still no babe, so I'm sure glad I have so many delightful distractions at the ready. Plus the heat broke on Saturday. Hallelujah. 

40 weeks--drama queen

At my 39-week appointment the doctor said that not much had changed from the week previous and that he'll see me next week (when I'll be halfway to 41 weeks) to discuss my options. That disheartening news combined with the record-breaking heat has had this 40-week mama giving way to the dramatics.

I've been unabashedly tossing around {hormonal} pronouncements like

:: "I'm going to be pregnant forever!!"
:: "This baby will never come!!"
and
:: "I'm never going to be comfortable ever again in my whole life!!"

Nevermind the fact that I'm not even technically at my due date.

Those who spend time with me will likely confide that this act is already getting old, but when I go to bed in a sauna and spend 20 minutes trying to find a comfortable position only to have to get up and go to the bathroom, I'd say I can afford a little bit of diva.

Let's hope there's not a 41-week picture. If there is, I might be crying when I take it.

no babe yet

Just thought I'd let you know straight out that this babe is enjoying the cozy and not showing many signs of arriving soon. In fact, I've resigned my previous visions of an early babe and am convinced that he'll be a while yet. I know silence on the blog inevitably leads to "Has the baby come?!" But he hasn't.

My energies this week have been diverted to surviving more triple-digit heat in an apartment with no air conditioning. Wondering how to weather the weather at nine-months pregnant?

:: Costco soft serve, even when it's 11:00 in the morning
:: Dips in the complex pool with a book
:: Drives in the car with the A/C at max
:: Lots of water
:: Cold showers
:: Underwear lounging

:: Prenatal massage--indulgence (one of the women whose blog I stalk had a prenatal massage and went into labor that night--even if this treat doesn't entice Babe to come, at least I got pampered, right?)

And don't forget hanging with these delightful people, who happen to also be family. Score, right?

And we can't leave out the frozen yogurt.

Obviously.

dessert--and maybe breakfast too

Chocolate cream pie used to be here. Now it's not.

You do the math.

39 weeks--the home stretch

When I drift off to sleep I think, What if it happens tonight?

Before I open my eyes in the morning I wonder, Will this be the day?

Life is surreal right now, knowing that everything is poised to change but not knowing when. Every phone call I make to Josh he jumps, wondering if this is the call. Our life is suspended; we wake up not knowing if the next morning we'll be three instead of two.

Sometimes I feel uneasy or impatient. Most of the time, though, I feel remarkably calm. I go about my days with quiet purpose. I fold laundry, make dinner, and hang nursery art with deliberate design. I watch TV and suck on popsicles, allowing myself quiet and relaxation when I need it. I give myself extra time to cuddle with Josh on the couch, because I know our days with just the two of us are swiftly drawing to an end.

I wonder what Babe is thinking and feeling right now. Is he scared? Excited? Ready? Does he already love us as his parents? Because I can't tell you how much we already love him. I hope he knows how loved and wanted he is. I hope that makes it easier for him to leave such a beautiful place for this mortality.

Our days right now are more purposeful as we wait for this babe to arrive. We're filled with the purest form of anticipation. When our boy is ready to come, we'll be waiting with open arms and hearts. I hope he's ready soon.

dinner date

Since Katelyn and I reunited back in April, we've had the serendipity to rendevous since then. Tonight we met her and her man, Matt, downtown for some dinner at one of our favorite ethnic restaurants, Nicholas's.

We love taking out-of-towners to Nicholas's because it provides delicious pita bread and hummus along with an authentic Portland experience. It makes us feel legit.

Our visit was short but oh so delightful. Katelyn and Matt, please come back soon.

Next time we'll take you to the Salt and Straw.

baby bets

Mr. Babe has been super wiggly the past couple of days. I'm hoping it means that he's getting some cabin fever and is ready to make a break for it. I am at the ready to be an accomplice in his escape.

His due date is 11 days from today: August 20. And because today is almost over, let's call it 10 days.

I bet that he'll actually come on August 23.

Josh bets that he'll debut on August 22.

What do you think?

the pregnancy card

Throughout this pregnancy I've tried not to exploit the pregnancy card too often, but now that delivery is just a couple of weeks away, I'm willing to pull out all the stops.

Women two weeks away from delivery deserve the following:

:: executive control over the A/C everywhere (the other day in the car, Josh admitted to not being able to feel his hands because the air was so cold)
:: executive control over the remote
:: no pressing time commitments--sometimes I just need to walk slow, okay?
:: parking privileges, especially at Costco
:: an unlimited supply of chocolate

Who's with me?

38 weeks--nesting

Some women I've talked to and books I've read describe nesting as this new instinct for them, the urge that compels them to clean and organize and prepare a pretty and comforting home for the baby. Me? I'm pretty sure that I'm a life-long nester.

I'm a homebody through and through. I love being home and making a home. I love creating a place where my family and I can relax, unwind, and be safe. I love having a haven where I can gear up for my other responsibilities. I've been nesting for years.

The past couple of weeks that I've had to sew and organize and clean and cook and prepare for Babe have been wonderful and also not foreign to me. I've always had those instincts, just not always the time or energy to follow through; the coincidence of those three elements has typically been rare. Now just weeks before Babe's arrival these nesting components have lined up in an invigorating trifecta. It's magnificent.

Other 38-week notes:
:: When I bend over it looks like a circus trick.
:: I drink water all the time.
:: The 100-degree heat we had this last weekend was gross.
:: My wedding ring hasn't fit for the past month or so.
:: My ankles have been looking very doughy. And yet I still wore heels to church yesterday.

week's leftovers

:: Sunday we celebrated my father-in-law's birthday. (That's a new badminton set, if you can't tell.)

:: I made his favorite cake, chocolate angel food.

:: I'm still tickled over Josh's post. It's easily been the highlight of my week.
:: All of my pictures this week have been taken on our new Canon Rebel. I love it.

:: The Olympics have been on the TV a lot at our place this week.
:: I've been reading (and crying over) birth stories on my favorite blogs.
:: I did three loads of laundry for baby prep, and it might have been the first (and probably last) time that I didn't hate the process. I've been swooning over the newborn onesies.

:: This has been another week full of nursery projects. I'm starting to feel a little burned out in energy, but I am so. excited. to reveal the nursery when it's complete.

:: I commemorated Harry Potter's birthday this week with brownies and ice cream and a voicemail on Emily's phone in which I sang--from memory--the entire Sorting Hat song from book four (a la Jim Dale).

kicking off baby month

To kick off the official Baby Month, yesterday I spent four hours running needed errands. The best part of this exhausting day was that I pretty much stuck to what I actually needed to do/buy. I didn't even buy lunch on the go, I was that dedicated.

Some places were a dud.

And some places

were highly successful.

In addition to finding everything I've been needing for nursery projects

I also succeeded in returning a few shirts Josh rejected from my shopping spree a couple of months ago.

Although I came home completely beat I felt great about all I accomplished. Plus I made it through Born and Raised almost three times. I've had many women tell me how they wished they had worked longer because they were bored once they were at home; but me, I have been loving it and have been far from bored. In fact, these past two weeks have flown by, and I'm just hoping I can get everything finished before Babe's debut.