There is so much to catch up on! I apologize for the lack of personal pictures in this post - I haven't been home long enough in the past week to put pictures from the camera onto the computer. :) I'll update with pictures soon - hopefully. But you will understand our schedules once you finish reading this.
Our lives have been plugging along - we feel like the days are flying by! The numbers on that counter over there, to the left, keep getting smaller and smaller. Lucy is going to be here before we know it. And we are busily preparing for her! I read online today that her fingernails and toenails have fully grown in now - I can't wait to paint her little tootsies and help her feel like a pretty lady. I am feeling and seeing tons of movement now - it is really fun to see my tummy move around... this has been a great source of entertainment. Still feeling really good - I have pregnancy heart-burn pretty bad at night, but its nothing that 4 tums won't help. I have nothing to complain about. I am so thankful for a healthy and comfortable pregnancy!
Work has begun on Lucy's dresser. Brad has been sanding it down and we are so pleased with the quality of the wood under all the old varnish. We did let a mouse in the house:
but it is a mouse that I love! :) I have wanted one of these babies since high-school when I first saw a commercial for one. He makes me giddy. He makes the work easier. Brad likes him too. :) So the dresser is looking great - we are still in limbo - to paint or to stain... this is our question.
During a trip to the Home Depot a few weekends ago I thought, "I wonder if they will have any
oops paint that will work in Lucy's room?" So we headed to the paint isle and sure enough! there was a gallon of beautiful grey. For $5 - how could we have passed it up?
*And let me just say - I have the
bestest husband ever! Have you read
the post before this one - he cracks me up. :) It was such an amazing gift to walk in and have work done on Lucy's room that I wasn't expecting. I appreciate him so much!*
We finished painting Lucy's room last weekend and it looks great. I was afraid the color was too yellow-green - greys can be so tricky! But once
we our good friend Brandon cut in and hid all the old blue it looked beautiful! We also purchased a rug for the room - it is slowly coming together! Here is a picture of the rug (complements of Home Depot):
Nice, neutral, soft and cushy, it has a nice shag to it. :) I also ordered replacement cushions for our glider rocker - another task crossed off to do list! Here is the fabric we choose:
I really like the neutrality (is that a word?) of this fabric - it will go well in Lucy's room while still looking great in a little brother's room down the road or even the living room. We should receive the cushions in 8-10 weeks - hopefully before Lucy comes.
We still need to 1) finish the dresser, 2) buy blinds, 3) make
curtains, 4) finish quilt, 5) buy bookshelf and 6) decorate!. :) Preparation for Lucy, as far as her room is concerned, is put on hold for the month of April because we are busy busy busy. :) We have to get all our traveling in before I am "not allowed to fly" (due to my protruding belly).
This last week we got to stay with three sweet kiddos -
Bekah (4), Ben (2) and Judah (10 mo)
Naus. Their parents are in our small group and are great friends. Abby and Eric escaped to
Cancun (which as
Bekah said, "Is a funny name for a place") for a few days and we were engulfed in parenthood. :) After one day with the kids, we both collapsed on the
couch and said to each other - "We are so glad our kids will come one at a time!" :) We had so much fun with
Bekah, Ben and Judah and walked away with a greater respect for Abby and Eric who seem to have energy in spite of having four kids. :) You grow into parenthood right? :)
We got home last night and stayed there for 12 hours, just enough time to unpack and repack, eat, sleep and shower. :) This afternoon we leave for Michigan to see Brad's family for the weekend. Tomorrow morning we have our first Baby Shower hosted by Aunt Jean (Lori's sister) - I am so excited to see all the ladies, eat some yummy brunch food and be (as one of my favorite blogs said) "the incubator to the guest of honor."
We will come home on Sunday night and have a "normal" week. Thursday (the 15
th) our great friends,
Linsey and Joel, are coming into town - they are staying with us til Monday morning. I can't wait to give
Linsey a huge (although my tummy will be in the way) hug and catch up with my good friend in-person... face-to-face.
We have another Shower here in Chicago on the 17
th - hosted by the amazing ladies in Small Group. I feel so blessed to have so many wonderful friends!
The third, and final shower is going to be in Texas at the end of the month. Both of my Grandmas will be there - along with my Mom (soon to be Grammy) and sisters. The sweet ladies in my mom's Sunday School class are hosting this shower for us and I could not be more grateful! I can't wait to spend some time with my family and pour hugs and kisses onto Laura and Anna for a few days! We get to be in Texas for Jana's Graduation party too - parties all around!
So our April is pretty full - or
very full. :) I have to keep reminding myself that May comes between April and June and that there is plenty of time to get 100% (or as close to 100%) settled and "nested" before Lucy comes.
I sit today and am amazed at how blessed we are - three showers this month, the ability to go see family, the encouragement of friendship and the miracle of life. God is
so good isn't He?
One last thing - Brad and I have made predictions on Lucy's arrival and size (another idea from my favorite blog). :) Would you like to participate in the predicting too? Just comment on the blog or e-mail me.
Brad's Guess: June 5
th, 7 lbs 3 oz, 18.3692 inches long. (Gotta love
exact measurements!)
Sarah's Guess: June 11
th, 7 lbs 9 oz, 20 inches long. (I think it would be really neat if she was born on the 11
th - I do love that number. :) )
This is how it looks today. Grey walls, soft rug, and baby gifts galore! (It is not as dark as this picture suggests - I probably should have had the flash on. :) )
The dresser has been stripped and is ready for its treatment of paint or stain (We still haven't decided). We have truly been "showered" with gifts and until the dresser gets done - I'm afraid this is where they are staying. :) Organized chaos.... organized chaos. :)
We have ordered new cushions for the rocker and ottoman. Our fingers are crossed that they come before Lucy does - we'll see. :) Both Brad and I love to sit in this room and dream about what it will be like to have a baby in the house. Chloe usually comes and sits on our laps - and we gently tell her that our laps will not usually be free when sitting in the rocking chair. We hope she is beginning to understand. :) We are planning on getting a bookshelf for under this window (to the right of the rocking chair) for added storage space and a surface to hold a lamp and any nursing supplies that we (I) need. :)
Toys and stuffed animals have invaded this corner - along with decorating supplies that will be put to good use once a few more items arrive.
Brad and I are not alone in eagerly awaiting Lucy's arrival! :) She has quite a few buddies who can't wait to be held and played with. :) (Each of the shapes on the Elephant's nose plays a different musical note. Mortimer the Moose is a favorite of mine - his face just says, "Play with me please? I am so excited to see you!")
I have chosen the fabric for the curtains, it matches the bedding perfectly and is a fabric in the quilt I am working on too - something to bring a bit of "cohesiveness" to the textiles. :)
Here is a close-up so you can see how well the colors match up. :) To continue with the "round" theme - I ordered three paper lanterns online the other day, (white, pink and green - all different sizes) to hang above the rocking chair and function as a mobile for Lucy to gaze at while snuggling with mom and dad.
My wonderful husband Brad bought me a walking foot for my sewing machine - it helps feed the fabric through evenly, from the top and bottom. (A regular sewing machine foot feeds the fabric through from the bottom - which usually works great, but not when you have 3 layers of a quilt going through the machine.) This little tool makes working on the quilt so much more easy and fun! :) 
Progress is happening - not quite done yet - but there is progress. :) 
Thanks to everyone who has given Lucy gifts and helped us prepare for her arrival! We are having so much fun getting ready for her!
