Nursery Progress

Progress has finally been made in the future nursery. Yes,  I know I still have 16 weeks to go which is plenty of time, but getting the nursery ready has been one of my biggest stresses. More because I know I have the time to do it right now since I'm off work for the summer. The problem lies in the fact that I'm a fairly independent person and like to do things myself, but not being able to lift things has made this difficult.

One of the first major hurdles in the nursery was to remove the unwanted furniture, and finally move the bed. We have decided to keep a queen size bed in the nursery as well. I knew once the bed was in place things would start to fall together. There are still a couple odds and ins the room that need to be removed but overall it is starting to look more like a nursery.  Zach put the crib together and I love it! The only thing left to be put together is the dresser.

It was important for me to see the crib in place because then I could make my final design decisions. I have decided to paint a moderate mural on the wall behind the crib, and needed to know where it will go so that I can plan out the mural. 

This is basically what I have planned for the mural...

 I plan to paint coral on either side of the crib like this.  I haven't decide what art work I want to hang above the crib, but I am strongly considering something like what's in  this photo.  The more I look at this photo the more I really like the simplicity of the artwork. 

I have however begun making a few art creations myself to go in the room.

There is this piece that I plan to hang over the bed.  What I love about this piece is, it is surprisingly personal to me.  The four sand dollars in this photo came from my very first ocean dive.  I originally wanted to make a mobile out of them but decided I liked them as a wall hanging instead.

I have however tried my hand at creating a mobile of my own creation.  I'm not sure if this is the one I want to use in the final room, but I still like the progress.  I'd love to hear opinions.  I'm think making mobiles might turn into something I want to continue making and sell on Etsy. 

Please excuse the terrible photo. And will hopefully put a better one on here later when I feel contently finished with it. Again I love feed back.  Tell me what you think so far?  I am thinking about a second layer, and possibly something to jazz up the brown ring.

Does the Camera Lie?

This is exactly how I have been feeling lately.  I finally uploaded a photo of myself from week 20, and also added a current photo of myself.  I was AMAZED at the difference that four weeks had made.

                   

In fact I'm shocked at how big I look in the most recent photo.  I don't feel as though I am that big.  I can still look down and see my toes, and can even still fit a few pre pregnancy shirts and dresses.  I also even have a few maternity shirts that are still a little big...or so I though.  But now I'm wondering if I look this big at 24 weeks, how big am I going to look16 weeks from now?  

I guess I have been noticing some difference in my body type.  I have still been wearing  my bikini, but felt the need to asked my husband last weekend if he thought I was at the point where I should stop wearing one.  His answer was a very sweet no.  He told me that he always dreamed of being proud of his pregnant wife in her bikini.  So I guess as long as that's still his answer I will keep wearing one.  Plus I have yet to find a maternity bathing suit that I actually like. 

What the most recent photo also tells me is that I need to make sure I am staying on top of applying lotions and oils to my belly.   I have yet to notice any stretch marks, and would like to keep that at bay as much as possible. Thanks to a recommendation from a friend I've been using a product called Bio Oil instead of Palmer's, and I believe it has been working.  

A Few Good Eggs

Special thanks to my friend Sarah Hesse Butts who lent me the book "A Few Good Eggs".  I've started reading about infertility from two Moms who lived through it and came out the other side with the babies they wanted.  Made an appointment to see my Primary Care Physician so I can get a referral to a Fertility specialist.

What's hidden in our dreams...

One of the common side effects of pregnancy is strange dreams.  However for me I have always had very vivid strange dreams so things have not seemed very different.  My dreams are still very random and can deal with any subject under the sun.  Never the less, it has bothered me that I have not had many, if any dreams about  babies.  Through talking to friends, and reading articles on-line it sounds like baby dreams are very common while pregnant. And I've often wanted to experience one of these dreams because I feel as though it will give me a glimpse into what my baby is going to look like and who she is going to be.  Yes, I'm sure she'll be very different then what I see in my dreams, but I'm still curious what my subconscious imagines.

And finally it happened last night, I had a dream involving what my subconscious see as my future child.   I don't remember much of the dream.  However there is one very important detail that I do remember.  My child was not a girl, he was a BOY.   Ever since I found out that we were having a girl there are always those few skeptical people.  That like to tell me that the ultrasound could be wrong, and that we may end up with a surprise four months from now. I often think about this possibility and worry that this may be the case and all I have is a closet full of girls clothes. Never the less, I'm usually pretty quick to respond to peoples skeptical comments about us having a girl. Our ultrasound tech seems very knowledgeable, and has been helping  mothers see their babies since before I was born, 29 years now.  When I asked her about the possibility of  some how missing the boys parts she was very quick to point out and explain how we can tell that these are girl parts and not boys.  Her detailed description convinced me, and I am positive we are having a girl.  But, my subconscious must think otherwise.

It's amazing how quickly time has gone. In four months Zach and I will be meeting our new baby.  I've noticed her moving more and more in the past two days.  Its funny how things happen.  Four weeks ago at my last doctors appointment I told the doctor that I wasn't sure if I was feeling her or not.  I think it was a day or two after that appointment I was positive I was feeling her. Just this week I was telling the doctor how she doesn't seem to move very much, and that I only feel her in the evenings after dinner.  The next day I was feeling her off and on through out the day, and its been that way ever since. It feels just like a little hand knocking on my belly, and she's telling me hello Mommy.

She is currently the size of a Mango or Grapefruit. 

And should weight about a pound. 

With 17 weeks left to go my to do list is growing.  Now to only get Zach on board with my urgency. : )

However, I have been very proud of what I've accomplished in the past couple days.  I cut what I currently have on my to do list in half.  Now if only I can stop adding to it. It's a good thing I have all this free time over summer to get things done.