I am in love

WITH THIS WEATHER!!!

Seriously, we have had the two most beautiful days this week. Crisp and cool in the morning and just warm enough in the afternoon. (though technically I would prefer it 10 degrees cooler but I'm loving it anyway)

Yesterday I had all the doors open with the attic fan on and the house didn't go above 74 degrees!! And I was painting my dresser on the screen porch - so both the french doors were open and it was just lovely.

My dad came in town to see William (perfect timing too because I have been BUSY today) and we went to Tasha's softball game and the weather was STILL great!! They won and William took a nap.

I cannot get over this weather - I hope it lasts! ;)

Tasha in Left Field!!

Grandaddy watching the game with William.

Just woke up from a good nap with GDaddy.

He's not really that red - we had a chair umbrella hooked up to keep him from getting sunburned. Y'know how it is for us redheads! ;)

Loves.

iPhone Pics

Carseat in the Pack n Play on vibrate. Honestly this did work for about 15 minutes, I just happened to think it was amusing enough to take a picture right when he woke up.

Playing with Daddy at lunch

Giving Daddy his very serious face

I love it when he falls asleep on me, especially when I'm parked on the couch in the middle of a Law & Order marathon.

We have graduated to the HUMONGOUS swaddle blanket that my aunt's mom made. And thank goodness, because the receiving blankets just aren't cutting it for naps anymore.

Playing with the mirror in the crib.

Loves.

We must be doing ok....

...because we got project fever again this weekend. We only have one bathroom in this house, which is just fine with us, but it is seriously the ugliest bathroom ever. Some idiot had the bright idea to popcorn the plaster walls & ceiling - so we've got to figure out how to deal with that without destroying the delicate walls. (plaster isn't really delicate until you start messing with it and then it falls apart and makes a mess) anyhow - so we started somewhere else - the vanity.

THE BEFORE: Check out that toilet seat!! eww!! We replaced that the first weekend for practically nothing. Good thing we can see potential and can stare down a project because this is one ugly bathroom. I'm really surprised someone put the house on the market with this looking this bad... And seriously - why would you glaze a tub and install almond/tan tile when the floor is black and white?!!

As you can see in our mid progress picture (the medicine cabinet wasn't black to begin with - I had painted that the day they sent us to the hospital to have baby) the vanity is horrible ugly veneer yuck. And nevermind the disgusting countertop - unfortunately that will have to wait for another month - oh well.

MIDPROGRESS:

HALFWAY PAINTED MEDICINE CABINET:

Lucky for me, I have samples of wallpaper and fabric laying around the house - part of the job I suppose. This particular one was from a job for a client and because of the large repeat I had them order me a VERY Large sample - IE - fun to play with later and have enough for her file as well. Anyhow - I saw this done somewhere - some random blog I ended up on in the middle of pregnancy insomnia I'm sure - and voila! I love it - now opening the medicine cabinet makes me happy. Plus, redoing it meant I had to clean it out and insist that Sam's hairbrush goes in the closet... :) That also makes me happy. I'm definitely the kind of person that likes everything to have a place and it upsets me when things don't end up in their place. I could go on about that for days. So - moving on. It's stuck on there with normal double stick tape. I tried 3M crazy tape first and it not only was too thick (would mean the shelves wouldn't fit properly) it was also WAY too sticky and difficult to get the paper in there in the right place and smooth.

Sam took it as his job to repaint the vanity. He took the drawers & door off and rolled the box with a foam roller and Rustoleum Latex paint - so much easy to deal with then their oil based version - mostly because you don't ruin brushes as easily. We have a large hardware tote filled with rejects and extras from other projects (Forest Ave) so I dug through the box and found these not so great but definitely better chrome knobs to replace the white ceramic with brass knobs - much better.

And this is the new corner - obviously we will be getting a brand new light and countertop -and we will be painting the walls a great smoky gray blue that matches the wallpaper sample PERFECTLY - but the difference from before is HUGE to us. OMG how we hated that vanity!! And now it is that much more tolerable.

The best part is we only spent $5 on this whole project because we had the paint, wallpaper, and knobs - we just needed a paint tray and brush (because we ruined them on the oil paint...boo). Easy cheesey - love it! Plus, we figure we can redo the whole thing for under $300. Granted, in a couple years we are going to change the shower tile, reglaze the tub, etc. but for now - this will do just fine.

So I'm glad that we can still manage to accomplish projects with also having to take care of William, it just takes a little longer. It took us all day to get this done - when it would have normally only taken a couple of hours. Though, WT wasn't having a great easy day yesterday, lots of fussiness and incessant crying...so maybe if he was having a happy baby day and actually taking real naps we could get a lot done. Here's hoping!

Loves.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my birthday - I am now 27 and officially into late 20s right?! I am pretty sure it's going to be a great year and not just because 27 is my favorite number. We went over the in-laws for dinner the night before to celebrate which is always yummy. I had made a cheesecake, and even though I left out the heavy cream and messed up the sour cream topping (it is very important that you bake the topping when the cheesecake is HOT and not the next day) it turned out very yummy. At one point I was pouring vanilla, mixing up the cream cheese, and trying to calm William down in my arms, so it's no surprise that the cream was forgotten. Another minor casualty of mom brain. It's getting worse I swear. It took me a full minute the other day to remember the word prevent!

Anyhow, William even thought he'd start my birthday off right by sleeping from 9:30 until 6:00 just for me. Then Sam fed him for me so I got to sleep until 8:07!!!! Love these guys!!

Little man is starting to look at things and follow them around. He really enjoys the crib mirror that Aunt Ellene gave him - the hand rattles still confuse him I think. I'm not sure he really understands what they are, but we're working on it. He really wants to roll over and occasionally will try and throw a leg over but he doesn't get very far. Though he is a MASTER scoocher in the crib. You'll put him down to sleep one way and then you'll go get him and he's on the other side completely and facing a totally different way. We also rediscovered the swaddle and that has been a godsend. Turns out he doesn't like a lot of freedom - who knew - he was doing so good there for a couple weeks. He's eating well apparently, because he has become a chunk. Last Friday he weighed 11lbs 6 oz - so I'm sure we are about to graduate to 3-6 months clothes... I'm trying to squeeze all the cute 0-3 month clothes in. And the icing on the cake - he sleeps for about 6 hours when it's officially bedtime. Granted Sam is the one who gets up in the middle of the night because a shift has been eliminated by him sleeping so long, so I shouldn't be SO excited!! But it does mean I get to sleep all night and just get up between 5-7!!

I think that is pretty much all that's going on around here.

Loves!

iPhone Pics

Playing at the doctor's office with Daddy

Daddy has a good comfy shoulder to sleep on

I love my new papasan bouncy chair!

Long Day Mom!!

Hiccups!!

I know I'm a dork...

but please go "rate my space"!! I finally got the nursery DONE and CLEAN enough to photograph - it's only taken 3.5 months! haha!!

http://www.roomzaar.com/rate-my-space/Nurseries/Williams-Nursery/detail.esi?oid=8216860

Loves!

Seriously?!

I realize that our colic/gas situation is well documented so I won't touch that - just try and remember that I thought it was ruining my life. Oh I had no idea. Yesterday I'm changing pepito's diaper for the gazillionith time, undo the velcro and holy moly! my poor baby boy has a seriously swollen groin and his belly button looks like it might explode!! No idea what's going on - I call Sam tell him and then call the peidatrician and make an appointment. I love being a first time mom call them because I never know what anything is - so I'm pretty sure they don't take me very seriuosly when I can't describe symptoms with real doctor words. (I actually used the word "gak" to describe what his poop looked like today...I know...) So I leave a message for the nurse and then call my best friend to see if her son ever had anything like this. He hadn't but we talked for awhile (it was one of those days where we called eachother every 30 minutes with something life changing to talk about! haha) Anyhow - at then end she remembered reading something that babies can get hernias - so I went and googled it - having never seen a hernia and not really knowing what it was - and there you have it. He has a hernia. So, I waited on the nurse to call me back for about 30 minutes, so I called them and the person who answered the phone didn't really give me the time of day for calling back concerned until I said I think he has a hernia and then BOOM - she was talking to a nurse who was asking questions..etc. Turns out it wasn't serious enough to come in right that minute or go to the hospital - so we got an appt. for today (tuesday). 2 hours of waiting to be seen and the nurse practicioner comes in and confirms what we already know. The belly button will fix itself but the inguinal will need to be surgically dealt with. This would be scary (and still kinda is) but it's better after Sam found out it's usually an outpatient surgery - so how bad can it be? Not that I'm wild about my 6 week old baby having surgery - but I'm handling it. (probably with denial, anyhow) As an afterthought she said she'd go ahead and check eyes & ears since we were there and what do you know - he also has an ear infection. Seriously?! One more thing?! Ok, well atleast that explains the massive fussiness (or part of it - he's been fussy his whole life, well since he "woke" up on the 17th). So we get prescriptions and we're on our way. Did you know amoxycillin (sp) is free at Publix - yeah - I didn't either - but that's nice.

I just feel awful for W. He can't catch a break. And he's probably going to have to deal with these earaches for his whole childhood since he's gotten one before 4 months. (not surprising - I'm pretty sure I was 1 earache away from getting tubes in my ears as a little one..) So I guess in reality - he's handling it all pretty well. I know that I whine a lot when I'm sick and he's got a lot of things going on. I'm trying to repeat this to myself when he's crying incessantly and then I'm having to walk the house for 45 minutes to get him to sleep when I really want to be cleaning a room.

On that note - Sam's suggestion for getting me out of the black hole involved a to-do calendar. When we were at Forest, but I was home all day, I had specific things that I did on specific days. Tuesday - clean bathrooms, Thursday & Monday - clean floors, that kind of thing. It gave my empty days purpose and I knew what I needed to accomplish that day - instead of trying to clean the ENTIRE 3,400 sq. ft. in one day. So, yesterday I made a calendar and wrote out what I wanted to get done every week and then left space for the littler things that pop up. Sam showed his brilliance though because by making me write it out - it means that I get to check completed tasks off - and I THRIVE on that. I LOVE getting checks. When I ran a lot - I would go run 4 miles just to get to check the box even if I really didn't feel like running that day. It motivated me. So - HUGE KUDOS for my husband. He must know me pretty well or something. ;) That's what you get when you marry your best friend.

On a very happy note - a friend of mine has a 6 month old and she still swears by the papasan bouncy seat - so this morning we went and checked it out at the consignment shop. Tested it a little bit, he was actually happy at this point - so it was more for size - and we came home with one that I think he will fit in for awhile. (We'll see - he's already up to 11 lbs. 4 oz!!) After the doctor we had to go get the medicine and by the time we were on the way home he was NOT happy! Pulled out the chair, hit vibrate, and happy baby. It was awesome!! I wish we had gotten one 6 weeks ago! So - if you are having babies - get one of these chairs!!! It's MUCH different than a traditional bouncy seat - they lay flatter and are "cocooned" in it - so they don't scrunch down on themselves. He is much happier (sleeping!!) in the new one for the time being. Yay!!

Loves!

Bird Mobile

Cute right?! I felt bad that William didn't have anything fun to look at while getting his diaper changed and he's just starting to actually LOOK at things - so my sister sent a baby fund gift and voila - bird mobile!! The balls are covered in feathers and there are 4 tiny birds strung on the lines. I love it. It turned out exactly how I wanted. Might be one of the best crafty things I've done...

Loves.

I am officially in a black hole.

And it is no longer a shallow hole.

I am seriously unhappy - but for no good reason. I love my husband, love my kid, but I am so tired of my life. Same thing everyday. Wake up to a screaming hungry baby, hope he goes back to sleep after I feed him so that I can take a shower if I'm motivated, get out of shower to screaming baby, throw on comfy clothes (definitely nothing that would be deemed "fashionable), feed baby and count minutes until Sam comes home for lunch so I get 30 minutes off, then repeat until Sam gets home in the evening. I then bury myself in random blogs/internet or reruns of Law & Order and wait for bedtime.

I used to get dressed in real clothes every day and wear real shoes with a 4" heel. I not only blowdryed my hair - but used a round brush and probably velcro rollers most days. And I definitely wore makeup. I went to work, talked to actual people about actual things - none of which related to nipples or poop, and I came home and was happy to see my husband.

Now all we do is fight. Mostly because I'm too tired/exhausted/sick of it all. And it's horrible - because he wants ME back and I don't know where SHE went. I just sent him to walk the park with William without me. Well, not so much sent as said he could do it by himself with a snarky attitude.

I hope no one is alarmed and please no comments of "go see a psychologist" - I have no money for that - which is another huge stressor in my life - but no reason to get into that now. (and secondly - I talked to way too many psychologists when I was a kid - they never help)

Maybe it's just a bad day. And I miss running with music blaring.

Guess I'm hoping writing it down and getting it out of my head helps. We'll see. Sorry you were subjected to my rants.

On a happy note - I made a mobile today for over the changing table - I'll post pictures when I get a hook so it can be hung. It's really cute.

Loves.

We survived our first road trip!

Ok - so last week I was sick with a cold - seriously - when did colds became debilitating?! Not cool. I was down for 3/4 days. My dad came on Monday and stayed through Friday. Huge help. HUGE. I still had to get up for my shift in the middle of the night but then I could hand Daddy the baby and go back to bed for a couple hours. Life saver!! Then - I start getting better on Thursday - take myself off the meds - and I get a stye in my eye. Again - not cool. I didn't know I had a stye until late Friday night, since I've never had one before. But they are REALLY painful. Lots of fun dealing with that all weekend, but finally on Sunday/Monday it started draining good and now it doesn't even hurt. Which is perfect timing because I am home alone with pepito. (who, thank goodness, has decided to fall asleep in the swing)

Now that I have given everyone cause to worry about my lack of immunity - Sam thinks I'm the sickest person he knows... ;)

Friday, I rode up with Daddy to Cleveland so we could make the family rounds and everyone could meet William. We started Saturday morning driving to Gainesville to Mema (William's Great Great Grandmother) could meet him. In her own way - she's in love. She's 96 - give her some credit! :) It was a little heartbreaking though - she's not like herself. She was awesome and CLEVER!! It was amazing - really. She might've invented "bless your heart" before something witty was said. I'm serious. Perfectly Southern - corn was two syllables and of course it was "dahlin". Anyhow - it was nice to see her - and Sara said she was having a mediocre day - so maybe next time we'll catch her on a great day.

Then - we drove back to Cleveland to go to my mom's house. Grandma & Grandpa, Kalin & Lainey, James, and Uncle Brian & Aunt Becky were there. Grandma Marge had made William a smocked outfit, because I had mentioned that I couldn't find anything small enough that was appropriate for church - so I immediately changed him into that. She had also made him a quilt that matches the colors in his room and a pillow with a dragonfly on it that's adorable. Oh - AND she made him an itty bitty bear. Wish I could do HALF the stuff she knows how to. It was fun hanging out with everyone and we ate hotdogs & brats - it was yummy.

On Sunday - it was time for Family day at Daddy & Sara's. Grandmother, Uncle John, Meredith, Kathleen, Kalin, U&A GPaul & Cindy, Dash were all there. Sara made homemade strawberry icecream - which apparently I had requested...I don't remember - but it sure was a good idea on my part! Daddy grilled hamburgers & hotdogs - I think EVERYONE must've gotten the memo that I was obsessed with hotdogs while I was pregnant!! ;) I do LOVE them! Ballpark Angus Beef bun size - highly recommend... I'm not sure who was in charge of the baby - but Sam and I went and claimed my parents insanely comfortable sofa - seriously - I'm expecting there to be a fight in the will for it - and took a nap. It was lovely - but when we woke up - everyone was gone...

We left for home on Monday morning after waffles & bacon (!) - stopped in Atlanta to see Aunt Ellene, Uncle John, and Abby - and then came home. Honestly - breaking up the drive like that made it a lot more enjoyable (bearable). When we got home - we dropped William off at Bill & Becky's (Grandaddy & Bebe's) and we left to clean the house and give the dogs a bath. We cleaned good - even moved furniture. Really Sam was dying to use the new steam mop that came on Friday... He's silly. But it's nice having an organized and clean house - so it was absolutely worth it. and now the dogs are clean enough to come past the back room and in to the rest of house...they might even get to meet William tonight..!

William did pretty good in the car except when he was hungry - so that's good. As long as we keep him full of food we'll be good! but that's our normal goal anyway! ;)

Loves.

iPhone Pictures

Once again - I only managed to get two pictures from the whole week. In my defense - I was sick. It wasn't fun.

I'm a big fan of a sleeping baby though apparently...

Loves.

I'm really trying...

...to get on here and write a decent update post but I just don't have the time or the energy. Just to explain, quickly, last week William was ridiculously fussy, ALL WEEK. Sam texted my mom to get her to come down and help since Dad had the flu -and thank goodness she did. Long story short - I broke down and called the peditrician and took him in on Friday. He has colic/gas issues. So it wasn't all in my head - which was a huge relief! We got a prescription for stronger gas drops and life has been better.

I knew we would have a colicky baby. I'm just glad that I didn't try and deal with it alone for more than a week. We are nazis about him getting that medicine now...

My dad came down this week - because even though he has the medicine he's still really upset about his tummy and isn't sleeping well. I'm not looking forward to having to do this alone again next week - it's going to be an adjustment.

We're going to Cleveland for the weekend so all the extended family can meet William. Maybe I'll try and write more tomorrow - but don't hold your breath - I have to pack up the entire house, including the kitchen sink, for the trip.. ;)

Oh - and little man was One Month Old on Monday; though I guess technically he was 4 weeks old on Monday...

He's such a cute kid... :) Love him.

Loves.