The Nursery

This nursery was a labor of love.  As in I loved it but it was a lot of work.  As with most momma's on a budget, I did everything myself (slash with my mom's help)(and sisters' advice).  I had very specific ideas about what I wanted this room to look like, but very little idea where to find what I wanted!  (and I apologize for the poor quality of the photos - this room has very little natural light thanks to a southeast facing window and a dark curtain.  Perfect for a napping child, not so great for the photography!)

Furniture - I wanted dark wood... I LOVE white, but its not super gender neutral. (I guess it can be - but white furniture with navy & white bedding felt very nautical, not the direction I wanted)  I did a lot of research, price comparing, etc. and found this at Burlington Baby Depot.  It's highly rated by Consumer Reports for safety, it was a pretty, dark wood, solid construction, and had a coordinating wide, low dresser that I could make into our changing table (one of my must-haves).  The recliner is a craigslist find from a lovely family in Allen who bought it when their daughter was born!  I have slept in it, and it was much better than I would have slept in a non-reclining glider.

Textiles - I searched and searched for bedding I liked, but I was not able to find what I was looking for (at least for a decent price).  I searched and search fabric stores, but still couldn't find what I wanted, so I ordered fabric online.  It arrived, minus the curtain fabric which was backordered, so my my mom and I made the bedding before school started.  The curtain fabric arrived the day he was born, and we didn't make the curtain until he was about a month old, which was no big deal since at that point he had never slept in his room! (And the perfectly coordinating green crib sheet is from his Oklahoma City cousins!) The rug I found on rugsusa.com, and had timing issues thanks to it constantly being out of stock in the size I needed.  I finally managed to get it during one of their big sales, and it arrived the week before he was born, 3 weeks ahead of schedule!  And its perfect!

 

Knick-knacks - hanging toy storage from Ikea.  On his dresser is a lamp from Aunt Kara, a photo from our maternity session, and two model cars.  A blue Shelby Cobra (his Papa's dream car) and an orange Chevy Bel Air (a car his Papi actually had).  On the shelf next to the curtain is a silver duck (mine) and a block (Aunt Kara's I think), a glass clown that was his Papa's when he was little, and some word art found on Pinterest!

"Art" - Carter letters above the door (made by me) and collage above the crib with images that are special to us (and don't worry, they are hanging on nails, with 3m velcro strips for reinforcement.  A earthquake could bring the house down and those guys will still be stuck to that wall!)  That collage was the bane of my existence for awhile, and the reason his nursery wasn't finished finished until like last week.  I started with just the round plate and the bible verse with the signed mat from my baby shower, and had to select the images I wanted, decide what size I wanted them to be, find the rest of the frames in dark brown in the correct sizes and coordinating styles, and then send the images to kinkos for printing.  And then frame and hang them all (with my tape measure, pencil, and level, after first creating the design on the floor, because I'm OCD and thanks to my dad I don't hang anything on the wall without it being flawless).

Images from L to R, top to bottom: Chili's logo, polo player, "C is for Carter" print, Batman, Winnie the Pooh quote, birth stats, his hospital bracelet, Dallas Cowboys, special Bible verse plate from Miss Laura, picture of his two favorite people, Texas, Bible verse with signed mat from baby shower, RCA dog (who Sadie resembles), Winnie the Pooh quote.

 

Reading nook - as a teacher, but more importantly a life-long book worm, I wanted to have a special place for reading.  I saw the Ikea spice rack bookshelf idea on Pinterest, and decided to go with it, and I love how they turned out.  He actually has quite a bit more books than fit on the shelves, so we have some on the shelves, in that basket, downstairs, and in the other bedroom.  My mom found the Eric Carle alphabet print, which I love, and is perfect because those are currently his favorite books (simple, bold pictures and sing songy words are right up his alley)! 

I'm completely in love with it!  Sadie too, as you can see she already has her "spot" where she hangs out while we change him or read!  Every single thing was carefully considered and chosen by me, (with advice from my mom and sisters), and is special to us!  And Lord willing when we get a little girl, I will change the green to pink and change out some of the accessories and we'll be good to go.  I have now done every room in our house besides the extra bedroom (aka Carter's future big boy room) and the dining room, and the dining room is getting a makeover asap (like this weekend?!).  Somehow there isn't enough room for the gear/toys we've already acquired for him, so the dining room we never use is going to be the play room.  As much as it feels weird to do, I really want all the toys in one location, and there just isn't enough room in his room or the living room.  Next house we'll have both, but for now this plan will do fine! (How did I fill up this more than big enough house with stuff?)(but I digress, my shopping addiction and hoarding problem is a whole other blog topic!) =)

I think I made my oldest friend/freshman roommate/interior designer extraordinaire proud!  Melis - don't tell me if not! ;)

Lint/Facebook/Lent

Based off a recent discussion Louis and I had... What do you call the fuzzy stuff between your toes after wearing socks? (Actually this doesn't happen to me anymore, we were giving Carter a bath and he was the owner of the toes in question). Louis calls it lint. But I call what's in your (or your baby's) belly button lint, and I call the fuzz between his toes, toe jam. It seems cuter that way. I know it doesn't make sense because there is nothing jam-like about it, it is much more linty... But I'm right, right? :) Now on to the real topic...

Facebook

Why do I do it? Why do you do it? I think it started innocent enough freshman year of college- a way to connect with people who I had been separated from. But lately, I had become obsessed with it. Not with posting, no one wants to see what I think a dozen times a day. I try to do once a day or less, and looking at February I posted a status or picture 7 times in 16 days. Ok, not bad at all. But I was checking it constantly. Like every time I turned my phone on. Which when you are pumping breastmilk or have a child who insisted on being held 99% of his first 8 weeks of life, you have a lot of sitting still time. I think that's when it started. I'd be stuck pumping (with no tv) or holding a sleeping baby and whatever was on tv wasn't engaging enough (love Friends but I've seen them all a dozen times at this point) so I'd check twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. And the downward spiral began. Even when Carter would let me put him down for a nap or to play, I'd still have my trusty iPhone in hand. On days when I had something to do (with a deadline), I could easily get it done and not check my phone once. But when I intended to do chores or something, I'd look up and an hour would have flown by with nothing done. 

And the worst part of this addiction? Facebook had become the ruler by which I measured my happiness. Let's be honest, I have an incredible life. Best husband, baby, puppy dog, sisters, parents, and friends in the world. (Especially the baby)(I made him so I know he's awesome) I have more than I could ever need, and any problems I have are first world problems. And yet I saw others' posts and pictures and found myself discontent. And either fixated on that or insulted them (in my head) to feel better. Like "well they have an awesome _____ but _____ would drive me crazy!" It was bad. Somehow even though Pinterest is the website where you find recipes for meals you'll never make, crafts you'll never do, to decorate a house you'll never afford, after marrying the perfect man who doesn't exist, in the wedding you'll never have... I can keep my pinning under control, and don't feel like less of a person, woman, wife, or mother. But Facebook... Left me teeming with self doubt. So I gave it up. 

I'm not catholic, but Louis was brought up that way, and even though we go to a Church of Christ, I think he has observed Lent every year we've been together. I can't remember what he gave up this year, but I decided to participate this time, and gave up a few things. Firstly, Facebook & Instagram. I will give a shout out to my friends Megan H & Blair G. They gave up Facebook also & inspired me to take the plunge. Also, language- all the way from the dirty word I use when I get cut off on LBJ to even saying stupid (that wont fly once little guy starts repeating everything we say). And what I listen to in the car. I gave up all radio stations besides the Christian one. 

Have I been perfect? No. I deleted the Facebook & Instagram apps off my phone but if I get an email about being tagged in something then I'll log on real quick to approve it. And I've looked too for people's birthdays, or to read someone's baby news. And I've let a few words slip that I shouldn't have. But I haven't changed the radio in my car!

Easter is in about a week and I haven't exactly decided what I'll do when Lent is over. Obviously I need to continue to tame my tongue. And I really have been blessed by listening to 94.9. I've caught myself singing some of the songs in the middle of the day. That's another one I'd like to continue for the most part, especially since "little pitchers have big ears". It might be entertaining for Carter to know every word to a pop song, but probably not beneficial educationally or spiritually... 

But Facebook? Can I give it up? I'm not sure. Well I lie, I COULD. But should I? It has its perks. But it makes me nervous that the devil uses it to plant seeds of self doubt and envy in my heart. I guess what I really need to do is continue praying that the Lord give me peace in the gifts I have been given. And then I can be on Facebook freely, and appreciate the good things happening to my 500 Facebook friends (or however many there are)(I can't get on to check, remember?) I know with information being so readily available in today's world that this will be a constant battle. Though I will take comfort in the fact that the phrase "keeping up with the Joneses" is not a new one, and one of the Ten Commandments is to not covet. I guess Moses' neighbors were over worried about what each other had as well!

I'm a work in progress. Pray for me :)