nursery planning

One of the most fun things about preparing for a baby so far is planning the nursery. I really want to make it bright, colorful, and fun, while also creating a relatively neutral space for two reasons :: I like the ability to change up the decor and color schemes in rooms fairly often and we plan to use this same room again for future babies. With that said, what I have found to create such a space is to choose large pieces and aspects of the room in neutral colors. With not knowing the gender of our little babe right now, it has lent itself to the perfect opportunity to scour the internet for gender neutral ideas that can be the perfect start for a neutral white or grey nursery with pops of color!!

Here are some of my simple neutral ideas in the early stages of the nursery...

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

As of right now, we have this ugly brown sconce light attached to the ceiling in the bedroom. I would love to replace it with something similar to this grey pendant light fixture.

I am still on the hunt for the perfect changing table. I think a white dresser is a great option for us because then it doubles as storage for diapers, baby clothes, etc. rather than keeping everything in the closet.

We chose the Babyletto Hudson Crib in white and have already set it up. It looks perfect! I am still looking for recommendations/researching away the complex world of crib mattresses. haha There are times in life when I wish there was just one choice rather than foam vs. coils, organic vs. non-organic, Sealy vs. Naturepedic, and on and on and on! And my head is swimming...

I adore stripes... half my wardrobe consists of them. We would love to paint light grey stripes on the ceiling as an accent in the room.

I have found so many book walls all over Pinterest (what would we do without that site!) and love how they look in little ones' rooms. Not only am I a book worm myself but the teacher in me plans on reading all of my beloved favorites from my own childhood to our little. It has also been fun reading some of Nic's childhood books that his parents kept too! We will be using these picture ledges from Ikea to create our book wall.

"Let Them Be Little"... one of my favorite country songs and the perfect print to add to the nursery walls. I'm sure it will also serve as a great reminder when I about lose my mind the first time I find crayons or better yet, permanent markers all over the walls. ;)

Chalkboard basket from Target... perfect for holding baby toys, stuffed animals, and blankies galore!

And last but not least, a rocking chair. My mom saved the one she used from my nursery as a baby and it holds a particular special memory she had with me. It is a light natural wood color right now so I plan to sand it, paint it white, and recover the cushions in a printed fabric to add a pop of color into the room.

Speaking of pops of color... we find out the gender of our little one in a week from Tuesday and if it is a girl, I plan to incorporate corals and peach tones but if it is a boy, an aqua blue color. I can hardly wait! More nursery updates, closet organization inspiration (because that is a whole nother blank canvas in and of itself), and decor ideas coming soon!!

gavin degraw

I am not much of a concert goer but there are a few artists that I have always wanted to see, one of those being Gavin Degraw. Rarely does anyone with a big name play in Pocatello but occasionally they do come to Boise and so last October when I heard he would be playing at The Knitting Factory, we jumped at the chance and bought tickets 6 months in advance.

Who knew that it would be the same perfect weekend to announce to our families that we are expecting their first grand baby. The whole weekend was a total dream come true for me! Anyway, Gavin played every song I love and hoped he would play. Nic probably felt like he was at a concert with some crazy obsessed teenage girl. I was jumping up and down and singing at the top of my lungs the whole time. haha

My favorite part though was when he played this song...

This was the same song that was playing as Nic and I walked out of that tiny little white chapel on our wedding day in front of all of our family and friends. We had our arms around each other and slow danced in the middle of a huge crowd. Like I said, dream come true for this romantic at heart! I wouldn't say no to seeing him again if the opportunity ever presented itself.

19 weeks

How Far Along :: 19 weeks
Gender :: Unknown for 2 more weeks!
Belly Growth :: 39 in.
Maternity Clothes :: Not yet...
Belly Button In or Out :: In
Sleep :: It just seems to depend on the night. Last night was the first night in a few days that I have slept all the way through the night and it felt so great! I feel like I can conquer the world today! ;)   
Best Moment this Week :: Setting up the baby's crib in the nursery! 
Miss Anything :: Always sandwiches...
Movement :: I keep waiting for this special moment. I've even tried putting my hand on my belly and holding really still for a while to see if I feel anything but nadda. 
Cravings :: Lasagna sounded so yummy yesterday. I hope it sounds great for the next several days because it might take us 10 days to eat the whole thing! Also, peanut butter toast with scrambled eggs and always fruit.
Feeling :: Fantastic aside from some slight tail bone pain.
Emotions :: The hormone roller coaster has started over here. haha Holy momma! I have noticed that I get overwhelmed easily. Like when we hung a bunch of shelves on the wall that needed to be spaced evenly from other shelves AND the sides of the wall, all the while remaining perfectly level at the same time... hoping to nail it on the first try so as to avoid 5 extra unnecessary holes in the wall (ahem, our apartment). Yeah, just about sent me over the edge.  Nic is such a saint! However, just this whole experience has been so exciting that I'll take the crazy hormones any day.
Looking Forward to :: Our first ultrasound in a couple of weeks! We scheduled it on my birthday because what better birthday surprise/present to see your baby for the first time and find out if it is a boy or girl.

the room that became a nursery

As we walked through our house for the first time, there was one room in particular that I spent the most time in and had a hard time leaving. It had one of the biggest windows in the house that casted beautiful rays of sunlight inside. It was completely captivating! When we looked at other homes, I found myself searching for a room just like that one. One that made me feel exactly like that one made me feel, but none did. I kept coming back to that room because there was something so special about it... the future it could hold and the dreams that would come true inside.

Sounds so complex huh? One room holding that much promise... but this one did for me! This room would be our future nursery of our first baby that would make us a family of 3. And now that dream is coming true and I could not be happier!

I imagined a crib inside of it, just like the one we put together this weekend. The most fun we have ever had putting something together! Besides a mattress, cover, and cozy sheets (of course)... all it is missing is our little one. Is it November yet?! ;)

grad parties, family visits, and a trip to merville... oh my!

Weekend adventures to Meridian are always the greatest! My brother just graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and my mom hosted a grad party for him on Saturday. It was the party of all parties considered it went until the wee hours of the morning and every last bite of food was eaten. I may have bowed out at about 10 (bedtime, I was exhausted). What a party pooper. Definitely was awake when I heard the 1 AM fireworks outside t he bedroom window though! Ha

I'm so proud of him! He is off to Cali in November to work toward his dream of being in the special warfare services as a Navy Seal. We had so much fun celebrating him this weekend. Prepare yourself for mass picture overload...

My mom's hilarious best friend Janel and my grandma both came! It was so fun to see them!!

Speaking of the Naval Academy... my mom brought these little Navy booties back for baby Williamson after flying there for graduation. Aren't they adorable?! 

We got to spend some time with our nieces at the party. They are growing up TOO fast! I can hardly believe Abby is going to be in Kindergarten next year and Ava is such a spitfire! After spinning the girls in circles and causing them to be in fits of giggles, Nic turned to me and said, "Holy crap, this is exhausting!" Oh Nicholas... just wait until 4 months from now... ;)

Comparing belly sizes... ;) I think we will need to take another one of these together in August!

happy list

I am officially four days into Summer Break and absolutely loving it. Ask me again in a week or so and I might have changed my mind... ;) Being at home alone all day for weeks at a time tends to make me go completely stir crazy but for now, I have a spring cleaning/organizing/errand running to do list that has been put off for some time. It is keeping me happily busy! 

Here are a few other things that are making me happy right now...

1. Getting to use one of these parking lot spots while checking out Babies R Us in Boise last weekend. :) It will PROBABLY be the last time I use one because heaven knows I can use all the walking I can get. HA But, it was still fun being considered an "expectant mom". 

2. Speaking of baby... this Babylleto Hudson Crib! We ordered it online earlier this week and as you may have read here, sort of been stalking Fedex for it to get here ever since. It showed up on our front porch this morning so I know what I want to do for our Saturday date. Nic?!

3. This Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus... it is the perfect summer dish hot or chilled and paired with shrimp. I hadn't made it since last summer and forgot how yummy it was. It would be great to take as a side to a bbq too!

4. I went on a little shopping spree at Ross for the growing bump yesterday. I usually don't have very good luck there but managed to walk away with 5 shirts for $45. It was a pretty great deal and some serious good luck considering Ross is pretty much the only store in this small town that carries maternity clothes. Although, most of these shirts are just a size or two up and not actually maternity.  

5.  Being home all day with Rue. I felt awful  that she only really ever got to get out of her cage for a few minutes in the morning while we ate breakfast before work and a couple hours in the evenings. I'm pretty sure she is a fan of being out most days and getting to camp out on top of the air conditioning vent. Cutest! 

18 weeks

How Far Along :: 18 weeks
Gender :: Unknown
Inches :: 38 1/2 in.
Maternity Clothes :: I am still fitting in most of my regular clothes but am getting close to needing to try the hair tie trick on some of my pants. While in Meridian this last weekend, my mom bought me my first pair of maternity capris so I'm all set in the event that the hair tie trick no longer works one of these days.
Belly Button In or Out :: In
Sleep :: Not great this week. Looking back on previous weeks, there seems to be a pattern... one great week of sleep, one not so great week of sleep. Soooo here's to 19 weeks! 
Best Moment this Week :: Realizing my belly finally looks more like a baby bump rather than a food baby when my dental hygienist said, "No x-rays for you I see... congratulations!" She was the first person to recognize that I was pregnant without me saying anything first. 
Miss Anything :: Going out in public for more than an hour without needing a bathroom break. ;)
Movement :: Not Yet...
Cravings :: Homemade egg mcmuffins are still going strong. Nic is probably getting SO sick of them being on repeat all the time for dinner. Surprisingly enough, pickles fazed out just when I bought another jar. I am loving cereal, especially multi-grain cheerios with strawberries.
Feeling :: Relaxed now that school is out for summer and feeling like my bump is growing by the minute.
Emotions :: Happy :)
Looking Forward to :: Our baby's crib arriving any day now! I ordered it earlier this week and can hardly wait for it to get here. I am totally NOT stalking Fedex with my tracking number if that's what you are thinking....