I Waited A Week To Post This Video

So far only close friends and family have seen this because, as cute it is, I'm embarrassed.

By two things in particular:

1) The voice I make, sometimes, to get her to do things like this.

2) The state of my desk.

Don't judge. Just bask in the joy and beauty and wonder and glory of what you're about to behold.

After getting our first, very brief, but very real laugh (not just one of those sorta laughs) out of her at the end of January it took another almost three weeks before we got another one, and it wasn't just one, it was this:

And she's done it just about everyday since, sometimes with me singing in this ridiculous manner and other times random things like bouncing on Dadda's lap or looking in the mirror. IT'S SO MUCH FUN!!

Too Long

Click above to see our "lifewithlilturkey" Instagram gallery!

I can't believe it's been two-days shy of two months since I updated this blog. It's been too long.

I've only updated my other, on a personal level, two times in that span. Of course, that's two times more than not-at-all, but still. Blogging has taken a backseat. And by backseat, I mean really the trunk... nay, the bumper. It's just not at the top of the list.

But, while I have a moment, I figured I might as well. A moment later in a day in which other brief moments were spent being productive and knocking off the to-do list... so I sorta feel like I can be a bit frivolous and you know, blog. Ah, frivolity.

Life is so different with Virginia around. It's amazing that it has been eleven weeks and three days since she came into our world, because in so many ways it feels like more than that. And in a million other ways, it feels like less. We are coming into the days of a more calculable rhythm, though, just when I think I've got it, she surprises me and we adjust. And while adjusting has never been something I'm particularly fond of nor good at (I have only ever been forced to do so), I'm learning to bend in ways that are not only good for me but necessary.

Being a mother is singularly the hardest and most wonderful thing I have done with my life, apart from committing it to Christ and to Cliff. This takes something from me that is replaced a thousand-fold and it is an all-day, everyday. While I say that, I find now that I'm gaining a few more minutes of each day for myself and when I wake her up from a nap I am surprised at the surge of wonder and astonishment I feel as I remember, yes, this is my child. I think that's telling, only in that so much of my mind and heart was consumed in the earliest of days that now, she has her own space as the other parts of my life resume theirs. My work. My relationship with the Lord. My marriage. Not that any of those things didn't still have their place... it's just I think I have more to offer them, finally.

And they were consumed because that's just how it is with your first, a first who has been so very sweet and yet not without challenge. Virginia has reflux and an aversion to dairy, we've seemed to finally conclude, but that meant weeks of trying to figure out what was wrong. Because something clearly was, and nothing is harder than knowing you are doing everything possible and still, your baby is in pain. I'm committed to breastfeeding her exclusively and have from the start, but feeling the source of woe in your newborn's life sure made this momma battle with herself over the matter. But after five weeks now of being on her prescription and two and a half weeks of me going off dairy, things seem to be leveling out. We still have our kinks in the line, but overall, she's a much happier baby and a happy baby makes a happy mom. But even better, I'm learning that happiness isn't the same as joy and joy abides with peace and I can have that whether my baby is happy or not.

A lot of people ask about sleep. Sleep is - well - it's what it is. I had struggled so much with that, wondering what everyone else (did I mention I know A GAJILLION other mommas with babies around the same age or so as V) was doing and wondering why it seemed so many of them already have newborns sleeping through the night. And by sleeping through the night, I'm not talking the 5 hours stretches the experts define it as, but like 8-10 hours that would afford us the same opportunity. BUT. Here's the thing. Nothing I can do nor any amount of worrying about it has made our reality any different. We've got a mixed bag when it comes to her first and longest stretch - anywhere from 4.5-7.5 hours... go figure - and we go to bed at night knowing that accepting what we're given is the best and only thing we can really do. So that's what we do. We wake up, give each other a kiss, walk into her nursery, gather her from the crib, change her diaper, nurse, put her back to sleep, and then repeat whenever it's time to do so. And goodness, having the head space to actually hear the Lord's instruction has helped in that area so very much. I realize now more than ever that it is just a season and so, to cherish the beautiful and wonderful parts of it and to let Virginia develop at her own pace and to teach her to trust, is all that is asked of me and I can give up long stretches of sleep for that.

And the days are so bright as we're in such a fun stage right now with her smiling, laughing, and conversing with us in her own sweet way. I shared a bit of the nuances of our day-to-day in this post and it's true that nothing is more amazing than watching a baby discover the world around her, including you. Sometimes I feel tears well up when I sit at home with her on my lap, watching her watch me and smile. I have loved being liked by other people's children, but the feeling of being a delight to your own child is just an over-the-moon experience and I get that so many times a day, everyday, and for that I couldn't be more grateful.

Virginia's Birth Story

Reading birth stories in preparation for my baby girls arrival was both exhilarating, empowering, and enlightening. I've decided to share ours, as it may give someone somewhere a touch of hope or clarity or perspective that yes, every birth is different and unique as every mother and baby are.

I woke up Thanksgiving morning in quiet tears, as I had many mornings that week and a half leading up to her due date. I wish I could tell you why, as it was not out of pure sadness - nor fear - but this strange feeling of helplessness that would overcome me as I faced each new day leading up to her due date. When would she come? How would she come? Knowing only that she would eventually come - on her own accord or medical induction - your body goes into limbo and your heart and mind, right along with it.

Two days before, I had gone in to see my doctor for my 40-week visit and had finally dilated to more than 0cm but not quite a whole 1cm. After no real progress the weeks preceding, it was exciting to have something to hang my hopes on - even if, for all intents and purposes, 3/4 of a centimeter - or so - was all it was and both my doctor and I felt I had some time to go. Some time bookended only by an induction date we had set at that appointment, for December 5th - a whole two weeks away that felt forever long and more likely than not, what we were heading towards.

By that point, I think I'd prepared myself to have the exact opposite of my ideal birth happen... the good thing, though, was that from the beginning, I'd not ever held too tightly to a particular ideal. I didn't throw out delivering naturally entirely - nor was I convinced 100% I would want an epidural. Having never been in-labor before - I felt it was only fair to myself and my personality (which struggles with failure and shame) to wait and see what it all felt like. Granted, I had a birth plan but it was a loose one, at that. Most of what mattered particularly to me when it came to birth was what happened in those first moments after and our time with Virginia.

So Thursday morning it is. D-day. I spend some time talking with Cliff before he heads off to put lights up on his boss's house... kill time on my phone... and then finally rouse myself out of bed to make it at about 9AM. As I'm doing so, I notice an odd sensation and immediately head to the bathroom. There, I think, I discover one of the three major signs of the onset of early labor... and I'm stunned and confused and immediately call Cliff and then the doctor. As it turns out, my doctor - Dr. Kyzer - is on a ski trip for her holiday and I talk briefly with the doctor on-call - Dr. Schlecter - who agrees that yes, it could possibly be what I thought it was but also to be prepared that it might be a precursor to a different sign of someday labor, since my condition two days prior wasn't exactly what you'd call ready, and that hadn't happened yet as far as I knew. She tells me just to keep an eye on things and call her if something changes.

Well, nothing really changes as the morning progresses so I keep myself busy with hang-out time with my sister, green bean casserole preparations, a shower (where I conveniently decide to shave my legs... just in case), doing my make-up and hair, and not thinking as much as possible about what had happened that morning. After sufficiently keeping myself preoccupied, I decide to sit down to write a quick post on my photography blog in the spirit of Thanksgiving. As I'm working on the quote design and the text, I notice what I thought was a strange movement by the little one pretty low in my pelvis. Not painful by any means, just odd... and then again... and then again. Curious, I pull out my phone and my contraction timer app and start timing the movements. Turns out they are about the same length in both duration and interval. Hmmmm, I think to myself. This is at about 12:15PM that same day.

About that time, my sister comes into the room from finishing up getting ready herself and I let her know I think I may be having contractions. You think? Yeah, I think. But, I'm not really sure what kind they are so after timing them a bit more I declare it time for a walk outside. And another call to Cliff. So over the course of a very surreal 45 minutes, we take three laps around the neighborhood and the contractions persist... to the point that by the end of our walk, I'm finally having to use my breathing techniques. The contractions didn't exactly hurt, but they weren't exactly comfortable. And I realize, this is more than likely happening.

Just as we're finishing the walk, Cliff pulls in from his morning errand and we go into prep mode. Re-checking the bags that have been packed in the back of my car for a month now - stocking it with Cliff's items. Mom and Marcus arrive shortly after - I hop in the shower again - and we decide to continue on with our Thanksgiving plans of dinner at Ryan's place with his and Natalie's parents seeing as me laboring shouldn't waste a perfectly good meal for the rest of my family AND their house is closer to the hospital. So we get to their place at about 4:30 and settle in for the next four and a half hours or so... I manage a few bites of some of my Thanksgiving favorites and manage to stay as comfortable as possible (thanks to Ryan's bed and the incredible support of everyone there - especially Cliff) as my contractions are obviously increasing in strength and number. I call Dr. Schlecter to check in with her again and ask, really, when I should come in - as I'd wanted to labor as long as possible not in the hospital and then go only when I should. She told me, "you'll know."

And sure enough, I eventually did, just as the pain of the contractions hit a point where "home" wasn't really comfortable anymore and I'd probably feel about the same at the hospital. So at 9PM, we loaded up and took off for Baptist. We get there at 9:15PM and run into my in-laws, who drove straight there from Cleveland - beating us to the hospital, and get checked in. By 10PM we make it to our Triage room where I was checked for the first time since Tuesday and was at 3cm and 80% effaced. I had thought, certainly, as long as I'd been laboring already and how painful it was becoming, I had to have been further than that - and felt some dismay. But the nurse kept telling me how great that was and how much work I'd done considering I was only 1cm and thick just two days before. From Triage, we are carted off to our Labor-Delivery-Recovery (LDR) room to settle in for the long-haul.

There, our nurse Amanda - whom we lovingly refer to as "girly" because that's what she called me... constantly... acquaints herself with us and gets me all set up and hooked up to an IV. I'm clearly dehydrated by this point and am grateful for what reviving that does, as well as getting hooked into the monitors which set the soundtrack for the evening - my sweet girl's heartbeat. By 11:45PM, I am checked again and am in the 4-5cm and nearly 100% effaced territory and really starting to feel weary.

Cliff holds my hand through every contraction, helping me to breathe through and focus. He feeds me ice chips and softly caresses my head. He is a saint. I ended up having our waiting-room patrons come in to visit in rounds, hoping that might pep me up for what's left to come. It's certainly a welcome reprieve, but every contraction hits harder than the previous and I'm not much company for those popping in. Somehow, I'm able to rest - even briefly - between contractions, which is such relief... but slowly that fades and there's no relief between contractions. And at that point, I knew I was ready for an epidural. I had been up since 5AM the previous morning with no naps and I couldn't imagine staying awake and in pain like that for an indefinite period of time.

I was nervous about the procedure, yes, and curiously anxious about the effects it would have on me and my laboring, and my postpartum experience with Virginia. But let me tell you, an epidural, in that moment and for the morning to come, was such such such a gift. They administered it at about 2:45AM and it was not anything close to horrible - for me, at least. It was unlike anything I'd ever felt before, but it felt good and right and I will never regret it forever. A little while after having it administered, I am checked again and am at 6cm with my bag of waters on the brink of breaking... or so we thought. Caveat: my goal was to make it to 5 or 6cm before deciding on an epidural... and without even knowing it, that goal came to light.

I manage to fall into a good sleep, feeling the pressure but not the pain of every contraction, and am awoken at 4:15AM and told my contractions have slowed and they'd like to break my bag of waters. I give my consent, they present what looks like a large plastic crochet hook, and what's done is done. Unfortunately, this doesn't get my contractions going again and I'm awoken, a little later, and am asked if they can administer Pitocin. Knowing at this point, I just want my baby in my arms and I've got an epidural (thus helping to cancel out the woes of Pitocin), I oblige and am put on a drip at 5AM. At 6AM I am checked again and am finally - wait, what? - at a real 6cm. Real, as in, the baby's head is dilating your cervix... not the bag of waters. Apparently that can happen and when my bag of waters broke, my dilitation receded and then came to when Virginia started making her way down the birth canal. That's good, I guess, but it doesn't quite feel like the progress we'd hoped for by that time.

Ahhh, but then things get going. They come in again at 7:15AM and I'm in the 7-8cm territory. Yay! Jody arrives to start documenting what will be left of our labor and delivery. By this time, my new nurse for this 12-hour period - Jill - comes in and she's just as great as Amanda. Love me some Baptist LDR nurses. We get acquainted, she gets me a Popsicle, and I ask for our waiting room saints to be brought in again in rounds. At some point about this time, my Pitocin dosage is lowered and I'm put on oxygen because the Fetal HR is going up and down quite a bit... this worries me only briefly as things are adjusted and everything goes steady again. I felt so well-cared for.

After visitors and more ice chips and a delicious popscile and no more oxygen, it's 10:45, I'm checked again, and I'm 9cm "ALMOST 10". Woohoo. This is really happening, I think to myself. How in the world did I actually make it this far? Having convinced myself that, because of my high and narrow pubic arch, this wasn't going to happen... and even at that point, I had a lingering fear of stalling. But stalling didn't happen because only a half hour later, I was checked again and complete. Complete as in 10cm?, I ask. Complete as in 10cm, Jill says. So I'm about to push? You're about to push. But not before Dr. Schlecter works some magic and turns Virginia ever so slightly to get her in the proper position for birth (she was facing my left side instead of my spine, like she should).

At about 11:20, Cliff, Jill, and Dr. Schlecter assume their rightful and helpful positions around the delivery bed - Cliff not entirely aware that practice pushing isn't exactly practice like it is in birth class... it's real. A few minutes in and there's all this talk and commotion about the crazy head of hair on our baby girl and he's tearing up and I'm just in awe that THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING. And I can feel the pressure. I can feel my delivery - the realness of it, but not the sharpness - and I think, THANK YOU LORD FOR THIS EPIDURAL. I knew when it was time to push, but it didn't kill me and I had the best cheerleaders in the whole world. I'm sure they tell everyone they're doing a great job, but it certainly did help me to feel like a rockstar. It's tiring, yes, but there really is a relief in it and I just kept thinking... please don't let this take forever.

After 40 minutes of pushing, there is a newness to the hustle and bustle and I can feel Virginia making more of an entrance into the world. Dr. Schelcter comments that the umbilical cord is around her neck (like mother, like daughter) and she again, works a magic I will never begin to understand and at 12 o'clock noon, on the dot - there in the arms of my doctor who only 24 hours later wasn't my doctor, under the bright lights of an LDR room in a divine hospital, is my beautiful, beautiful, beautiful baby girl awash in a sheen of plum purple. They put her immediately on a blanket on my chest and I cannot stop crying. I won't. Because it is healing. This miracle baby laying there, trying her best to cry, but struggling because she had aspirated amniotic fluid, and my rock of a husband standing beside me, tears brimming in his eyes. It was unlike any moment I had ever or will ever experience.

Within a few moments, they ask to take her to the assessment station as they're concerned about her breathing condition. I am immediately worried, and yet immediately assured by the skill and attentiveness of everyone in the room. I can see her from a distance, being suctioned and hooked up to oxygen and Cliff there, standing by her side and I can only pray that after all of that, everything is okay. And it's more than okay. They have a specialist come in to assess her condition and they assure me she's doing better and will continue to do so and instead of taking her to the transition nursery, they want her right on my chest for skin-to-skin because it's the best thing for her. And so after weighing and measuring her, she is brought to me and I lose it all over again. A tiny, wriggly body that for months hid and grew inside of me is now in my arms... and she is smiling, on accident, and breathing and she is just perfect in every way. I try my first hand at nursing, which goes surprisingly well and we lay there for what feels like forever... and in some ways, I know it will be forever, the way it's etched into my heart and mind.

 

I have an incredible God... husband... family... friends... doctor... and nurses to thank for what an amazing and grace-filled experience my labor and delivery were, from start to finish. Having not created an ideal in my head for what I wanted it all to look like, exactly, it could not have been closer to the way, in my heart, I had hoped for it all to go. 

I have a healthy, sweet girl and I am well, and that is all I could have ever, ever asked for.

She's Here!

And she's been here for a week :)

A little preview of her birth...
A little reflection her first week...

We are so in love, tired, and happy beyond belief.

I'm Sure You're Curious

That, or you think we're crazy.

Or, well, maybe you don't care.

But either way, it's just another notch in the journey towards parenting that we've marked on our maps - pointing ourselves now in a direction that so many other people have long since done and yet still seems so bizarre to so many.

Yep, we're going to be cloth diapering, or CD-ing as the verbage goes. And that is, using CDs as opposed to using 'sposies. Oh, the things I've learned these last almost seven months.

Now don't expect this to be some crazy rallying cause for us. And no, I DO NOT JUDGE YOU FOR USING DISPOSABLE DIAPERS. We are, ourselves, already accumulating a bit of a stash thanks to our shower and a sweet client of mine - which we will not feel guilty for using whenever we may decide we would need or would like to - be it for traveling, weariness of laundering, or for pure kicks and giggles. And no, you may not judge me for that.

As time goes on, we may share successes and woes because its a hot topic and I think that a lot of people are wondering - like I have been for months - if it could be the right thing for them. And to be honest, we won't know until the time comes. For us, the discussion persisted not about all the things it is for the people for whom CDing is a way of life  - not that I blame them for being passionate. For us, it's a little bit of everything... yes, it's going to be nice to save money... yes, I like the idea that it's a bit kinder to the environment... yes, I love that it can be an added comfort to our sweet girl... and yes, they are DOGGONE CUTE.

After much consideration, we settled on the idea of purchasing a six-pack of two reputable brands which have time and time again come up in my CD conversations and research. Two brands because who knows what will work best for our unique little girl, but at least we'll have options when the time comes.

Speaking of options, did I mention HOW CUTE AND COLORFUL THEY ARE?!

So once the decision was made, it was time to order and it was a whole new round of decisions - far less important - but still so... important? Yeah, I know, doesn't make sense.

So here's the "models" and colors we've ended up with in each model:

The FuzziBunz One-Size...

The bumGenius 4.0 One-Size...

Nursery Furniture!

The great debate is over!

Well, I guess it never really began, except for in my head.

And this week, it's wham-bam D O N E.

Furniture AND bedding, that is!

Final bedding choices:

Carousel Designs' gorgeous gorgeous line of fabrics at babybedding.com.
-2 bubblegum pink fitted sheets (one for use while one is washing)
-gathered lovebird damask bedskirt (a splurge, but I just ADORE the fabric)
-no custom bumper (opting for a breathable green one, instead)
-no custom quilt (opting for a cheaper, softer fuzzy blanket - maybe green or pink) instead

Final furniture choices:

Munire's Rockport Collection (which is being discontinued!) - in white

-the 3-drawer dresser/changing station
-the lifetime crib
-the armoire

Oh, and this guy!

NOT BROWN... celery green

Best Chair's Storytime Series
-the Tryp in celery green, no contrast cording




We've still got quite a few main things (like a rug and lighting and curtains) to knock-out but at least there is furniture ordered and on its way in the many weeks to come (this stuff takes FOREVER to come in) hence my nail-biting over getting it done this week. And all this week I've been making trips here and there to our local craft stores for supplies for my DIY nursery accents and I can't WAIT for that week to come... yay for getting things done!

LTU: Lil' Turkey Update

We interrupt Kristine's regularly-scheduled baby-research-morning-routine to bring you this update.

24 weeks, y'all. TWENTY-FOUR WEEKS. Presumably, 16 weeks to go.

Hey BABY!

It's really true what they say about the second trimester and I'm doing my best to enjoy these last couple weeks of it, without psyching myself out too much for the trimester ahead. Regardless, these are days to be thankful for - no matter how I am feeling.

Every site says something different now about the size of our Miss Virginia, but she's just finished up life the size of a Papaya range as demonstrated in the last LTU. According to my What to Expect When You're Expecting iPhone app, she's an ear of corn. Either way, she's growing and filling out my soccer ball-sized uterus. Yes, that's right, I said SOCCER BALL. Holy moly.

The last week has made for a lot of fun around the Neeley household, as lil' Turkey becomes more and more noticeably active. Just a week ago, we celebrated the milestone of seeing and feeling her move from the outside for the first time. That gave our weekend trip to Charleston such an added boost that it didn't even need - at one point I was in a fit of uncontrollable giggles over her performance at the Charleston airport before our flight home. I'll never get tired of that feeling. After a few failed attempts to video her acrobatics, I came up with a great plan to catch her in action via a shaking glass of water, a la "Jurassic Park".

(Make sure you're logged into facebook to see the video above!)

I've since discovered that she love love loves music. It seems classical and singer-songwriter are her favorite, as she gets much more active when we're listening to those genres than to anything else. She also loves to move when I'm not moving, so I find that time in bed is when I'm most likely to get a little performance from her... perfect excuse to lounge away these hot, hot summer mornings and evenings :)

With our first shower just a little more than three weeks away, I'm in the throes of trying to make more baby-product decisions. My-oh-my. It's sometimes overwhelming all that's out there and how much you can't know you'll really need until you try it all - and of course, need a baby on which to try it :) BUT, I will say it's getting easier as I find myself less consumed with doing what others do exclusively and deciding for myself from everyone's advice what I think will work best for us.

Speaking of, I've had the whole cloth-diapering thing nagging at the corners of my pregnant mind since we started this journey - well even before. And the more I learn, the more I'm convinced it's nowhere near as difficult as the general public seems to think and might end up being a great solution for us... so, there's that. Crazy, huh? Big question is, once we decide for sure it's what we want to do (with of course the reality that we will have some disposables around for convenience sake when traveling) - what kind we'll get... I'm leaning mostly towards FuzziBunz and bumGenius mostly for the one-size and snap options which I think make the most sense for us.

FuzziBunz!

bumGenius!

As mind-boggling as it all is, it's making the reality of what's to come seem so much more... well... real. And that, my friends, makes it ALL WORTH IT.

About the Belly

I know, I know. I'm a photographer. You don't have to remind me.

As much as documenting this pregnancy by taking a picture of my belly every week is what it feels like I should do, I haven't. Partially for vanity reasons (you ask a girl who has struggled with her weight her whole life to take a picture of her BELLY every week?!) and partially because I've been documenting it in other ways that are particularly more special to me

But. For the outside world, particularly friends and family - of which Cliff is tops and seriously does a happy-dance when he thinks my belly has gotten bigger (a happy dance for a bigger belly?! goodness pregnancy is a gift) - I know it's important in some ways. I know it the moment I post one picture and the whole world rejoices and takes pleasure in my increasing rotundness. Fancy that!

At least I've got what I've got, and the changes are much more noticeable between each than would, say, a week by week. :) Thank God for the iPhone.

15 weeks

17 weeks

19 weeks

22 weeks

I love it more and more everyday.

LTU: Lil' Turkey Update

I've not been so great at these lately. I think, for me, while it's a week-by-week experience with our little one, it's more of a day-by-day, especially as some weeks bleed into others depending on where we are and what we're doing. So, I guess a month is not so bad.

The only thing I know is that right now, I'm officially in my twenty-third week of pregnancy which is just crazy. Did you know that I'm only a day less than two weeks away from the baby potentially being VIABLE outside of the womb. I hate the thought, but in some ways, it's reassuring. She's that big, that full of life, that developed that though it'd be difficult, she could make it.

Whew, sorry to go all deep on you there.

As always, let's see what fruits and veggies she's been the last couple of weeks.

Mango.

Cantaloupe

Banana!!!

Here's where The Bump starts lumping in months of pregnancy into one fruit. Apparently starting at 22 she's a Papaya.

We've made absolutely no progress on the nursery, but I'm okay with that. Because as determination would have it, I'm chipping away at some other personal and house projects which will free up my capacity to both think about and want to do the nursery. I mean, not that I'm lacking in want - it's just you've gotta have priorities and it's amazing the little things I've already gotten done this week that I've been talking about for MONTHS.

Virginia is making her presence known every now and then. I've not really felt her consistently these last two weeks, but I've felt her some - usually around the time they say you will - when you're lying down. Other times she surprises me with what feels like a little nudge to the side or a flutter. I welcome the reminders, wholeheartedly, whenever they happen and am admittedly looking forward to their increase in frequency.

I'm still amazed by my belly. Well, I guess still isn't quite adequate. I'm not sure at what point I went from amused to amazed. Maybe it's been the string of weeks I've been almost required to be in my maternity swimsuits because of the beach or lake. But I'm amazed. Every pregnant woman's belly is so unique to her - her shape, her weight, her height, and the position of the baby. I know I'm being particularly shy about baby bump pictures but the few we have I'm just astonished. And when I look at old pictures of myself it's amazing to think I didn't have this at some point. It's growing on me. Literally. 

Granted, I feel like a house by the end of every day (and literally wonder if I have a stomach or lungs anymore) and can't get in and out of the car without making an audible noise, BUT, I'm really coming to love my body which is a completely foreign experience for me. That's quite a grace in this already chock-full-o blessings experience.

And I know right now I'm in what is considered to be the "comfort period" of a pregnancy (sometimes I highly question the standard of comfort to which they're referring) but I'm really loving being pregnant. I feel awesome.

Baby Bedding...

is positively maddening. Well, for me at least. Because, quite frankly, I'm picky... and a planner. So I know - or at least - have an idea of what I want and what I can find in the store JUST isn't cutting it. And so, of course, that means we might end up spending a pretty penny for something custom... and once I researched my options for going that route, I'm afraid I can't turn back. 

There's just so much and all of it is absolutely gorgeous.

Most recent design...

(verdict's still out on the bumper... I'm pretty certain, as pretty as they actually are, we won't be using one. and in that case, the sheet set would maybe be green... and yes, that is our actual floor, wall, and trim colors. www.babybedding.com is amazing.)

I'm not married to this design, it's just the one I happened to come up with today... after these two, yesterday:

Upon further review, this might be my favorite.

and this one the day before:

and so on.


What do you think?!

Virginia's Nursery

About in the same way the name-planning came relatively easily, so did the nursery themeing. Granted, we haven't got started on too much when it comes to the nursery except for clearing it (mostly) out and having the walls painted (thanks to some chance of foresight when we bought and subsequently painted the house more than a year and a half ago)... but somewhere, early in the game, the idea for the colors and concept came to me. I was sitting, in fact, on this very same couch e-mailing my best friends with the idea... "what about an oh-the-places-you'll-go (as in, travel-like) theme?" 

Which paired perfectly with the already existing Benjamin Moore Waterfall of the room and our love for travel... and books! Dr. Seuss is classic and I plan for Virginia to have the motherload of children's books. BUT. I didn't want it to be too Dr. Seuss-y, if you know what I mean? So leave it to colors, printed quotes from the book, and maybe a few hot air baloons (oh, and hopefully the full Dr. Seuss collection)... and then a good dose of maps, globes, possibly a few vintage suitcases and you've got our nursery.

Can you see it?

If not, check out my Pinterest Board for the Nursery that I've been collecting ideas in for the last, oh... (according to Pinterest) 15 weeks (which is only a week after learning we were pregnant - how's that for planning?!):

CLICK on the picture to see more :)