Pinning My Way to A Fab Nursery

Pinterest is the best invention ever. Especially for stay at home momma's who feel like they have ALL the time in the world to take on 436 DIY projects at one time and complete them in a reasonable time frame without getting stressed and overwhelmed. I need another room added on to our house just to house my in-progress projects. 

Since I consider myself a beginner at sewing, I have looked around for the easiest to comprehend tutorials other bloggers have to offer. I'll give you a rundown of what I have planned thus far. See if you can imagine the nursery like I can. 

I purchased my lovely fabric online after coming across quite a few bedding sets for sale on Etsy that were out of our price range. This is where it all started... 

This lovely ensemble is handmade by ButterBeansBoutique on Etsy. She has some seriously beautiful stuff, and if I didn't feel like Supermom, I would have ordered everything from her shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop/butterbeansboutique

My FAVORITE! This beauty will be making curtains, outside of the bumper, and recovering the glider rocker and ottoman. 

www.fabric.com

This fabric will be used for the crib skirt and various other little projects throughout the room. 

www.fabric.com

This is the fabric I will use on the inside of the bumper, as well as for the pretty bows that hold the bumper in place. 

www.fabric.com

Any scrap fabric I have leftover will be used for this to put over the changing table. I'll add in some pictures or mirrors as well since I won't have as much of a selection of fabric to choose from. http://www.purlbee.com/swatch-portraits/

I can't wait to make one of these for the Princess and for Joey too! 

http://themamadramalogues.blogspot.com/2009/10/make-it-gorgeous-shadow-boxes.html

As you can clearly see, I have my hands full with projects. With only about 4 months to go til the babe gets here, I better get my butt in gear and start sewing! Hopefully I will remember to document some things that I do along the way to share with you :-) 

-Laura 

The Perfect Name for Our Princess

We have pretty much narrowed down our baby girl's first name to three names:

1) Abigail 
2) Madison
3) Hannah 

I can't tell you how many times a day I am saying these names over and over again out loud and in my head trying to figure out what I like. 

We love the middle name Grace. When we were deciding on names for if Joey was a girl, we were set on Hayley Grace. We thought about naming this girl the same, but it just didn't feel "right", and it didn't feel like it was meant for her. I feel comfortable using that still as the middle name, and Joe and I both still love the name. 

I got the fabric for her nursery in the mail today! I am so excited to start working on it and make this nursery beautiful for our Princess. I know it's just materialistic objects, but it will be a cheerful room for her to spend her toddler years in, and it will certainly be pretty to look at, too! 

Thanks for stopping by! 
-Laura

Selling Joey's Outgrown Clothes

:-( This makes me sad. As I was going through all of his clothes, smelling them (yes... smelling), remembering when he wore what outfit, which onesie was my favorite on him.... sigh. Even the little stains around the collar of spit up when I was breastfeeding would nearly throw me over the edge. Only a mom can understand! 

As Joe and I were taking everything down from the attic, we realized I had racked up enough clothes to fill 5 huge Rubbermaid totes! I should have taken pictures before and during the process of sorting. Oh, these clothes are only up to size 18 months. Yup, 5 Rubbermaid's full of clothes he has worn and outgrown in a little over a year. I still can't get over it. 

I was a smart shopper though. Keeping a budget in mind, and always thinking thrifty, I shopped mostly at second hand stores, consignment sales, and sale racks in the back of retail stores WITH a coupon in hand. I don't think I paid full price for any of it, which I'm pretty proud to say :-) 

Now I have 2 Rubbermaid totes full of clothes that are in near perfect condition, and I can't decide what to do with them. Sell them on Ebay, Craigslist, wait for a yard sale in the spring.... what is going to get me the most possible money? Money that I am going to be using to clothe this baby girl that we are expecting in March. Decisions, decisions! 

This is all newborn stuff. I could have swore I had more than this, maybe there's another Rubbermaid hiding in the attic. That bright royal blue onesie was one of my favorites on Joey. The color was beautiful on him. The one with the monkeys was a favorite too, because Joey has always been our little monkey even before he was born. I kept everything that was gender neutral and plain white onesies. 

Since we are planning on stopping at two kiddos, I would rather get rid of everything now knowing that we aren't planning on the possibility of having another boy. And the thought of having all of this stuff back in the attic along with clothes that I will be buying for baby girl just gives me the spins! 

Happy Monday, Everyone!

-Laura

Answer to the tantrums...

TEETHING! Argh, again?!? 

Joey would not let me take a peek into his mouth, and finally last night I bribed him with a snack so he would open his mouth, and I saw a tooth coming in. Poor thing. 



He is getting his canine on the top left. There might be others coming in, but that is the only one I could successfully find without him biting my finger in his mouth or running away. Now that that one is coming through, I know the 3 other canines aren't too far behind. Yippeee... Not! 

On a much lighter note, I finished our baby girl's blanket! I'll post a picture later. 

It's almost the weekend! Woo-hoo! 

-Laura 

Tantrums. Grrr.

I know every child gets upset and throws tantrums, but it seems a little early for this to be happening so often with Joey. It happens multiple times a day, and lasts anywhere from 1 minute to half an hour (which feels like 5 hours). Could this be the Terrible Two's coming on a little early? I hope so. It would at least help me understand that this is just a stage that he will eventually (hopefully!) come out of. Anything worse than this and I might be balled up in a corner everyday. 

Sorry for the poor quality, taken with my phone. 

These were taken during breakfast. I have no idea what he flipped over. I had to let him down from his high chair and just allow him a few minutes to get it all out and he was okay again and back to eating his oatmeal like nothing even happened.

I hope this stage ends soon, but I'm sure there will be plenty more of these outbursts. 

-Laura

Nursery Bedding

After browsing the web and retail stores for the perfect bedding set, I couldn't find anything that I absolutely loved! Until I saw a post on Etsy. It had the most beautiful fabric, but at $400, I couldn't imagine spending that much money on something that's sole purpose is for decoration. It's really not a necessity for the baby, but it sure will make a beautiful room! 

After doing more research, I found the type of fabric used and found it on sale at www.fabric.com for $7.18 per yard, with an additional 20% off thanks to a coupon code which expired tonight. 

Here are the patterns I picked out.. 

www.fabric.com

First pattern: Outside of crib bumper, window curtains, and cover for glider rocking chair. 

Teal pattern: Inside of crib bumper and bumper ties. 

Stripe pattern: Crib skirt and teething rail guards for top of rails. 

I can't wait to get all of this and start working on it all! I just have to figure out where to start. Since I'm sure I'll have plenty of fabric leftover, I'll be able to make a cute blanket using all three, and a cuddly fabric used as the back. 

Have a great week! 

Laura 

Joey's Photoshoot!

Joey and I had such a wonderful time with Elizabeth when we got together at Lake Benson Park for Joey's first photoshoot! She did an amazing job, and I can't thank her enough. Elizabeth is just getting into the photography biz, and I think she is already excellent. She is wonderful friend and an even better mommy to her beautiful girls! Here's a picture for everyone's enjoyment! 

This is where Joe and I got married on March 23, 2012

We had so much fun with Elizabeth having Joey's pictures taken! We hope to do it again with her soon when our baby girl arrives! 

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Rathburn, Marsan Photography

First Purchase for Our Baby Girl

I love shopping. It is even better now that I get to shop for pink and ruffles to dress our baby girl in. My first purchase was yesterday at Once Upon A Child, where I bought 10 onesies, 2 outfits, and 2 pairs of knit pants for $25! I absolutely love shopping, and there is nothing better than finding a great deal. Especially with how expensive children's clothes are now. For the same things I would have spent closer to $75. Shopping on a budget seems like more fun than shopping with no budget at all. 

Looking for the perfect bedding set for a baby girl is a tremendous task! They are all so cute, but none of them are exactly what I want. I'm toying with the idea of making it myself. I better get on that big project soon! I think a trip to JoAnn's is in order... 

Team Pink, It Is!

Joe and I are through the roof excited to be pregnant with our first baby girl! She will have him (and probably me too) wrapped around her little fingers!

Now it's time to really start planning! 

Planning = Shopping 

I cannot wait to plan the nursery, organize her closet, and buy pretty little bows! Oh the big, huge world of options for little girls. 

Blue or Pink?

Everybody seems to be on Team Pink when it comes to the gender of this baby. I have NO idea what it will be. When I was pregnant with Joey, I absolutely knew he was a boy. I had that "instinct". I don't even know what I "want" to have. I will be ecstatic either way! 

As I think back to the day we had the first ultrasound with Joey, Joe and I were so nervous in the waiting room. We wanted everything to be okay. We wanted so bad to hear a strong heartbeat, and we did. In that moment I cried. It reassured me that everything was okay. It also put everything into perspective. I was actually growing a little human inside of me, and he would be out in a matter of months. During the entire pregnancy, that was one of the most amazing experiences for me. It helped me connect and create a bond that only mothers have with their children. 

Joey waving at us, telling us he is alive and kicking in there!

I get to experience that first ultrasound experience again later this afternoon. I am excited and nervous. I'll be updating here when we find out! 

-Laura

Hey, Y'all!

Hey, thanks for stopping by! 

I'm Laura, wife to my wonderful husband Joe, and mom to our 15 month old son Joey. We have another bundle of love on the way due in March 2013! I love my growing family, and could not ask for any more love and support from them to get me through the day. I live a blessed life. One that is full of love, laughter, and compassion. We might not have the most money, the biggest house, or the nicest cars, but as I have matured, I've noticed that life is best lived through moments and memories with those you love. Not with the things you have.  

My sweet family. This was taken last fall. 

Like any other mom, I think my son is just perfect. He is also the most perfect child to ever walk the face of the Earth. Don't ask me how I feel about him tomorrow though, that opinion might change! 

Am I the only mom that wishes I could snap my fingers and make his mess disappear?!

Thanks SO much to Elizabeth with Marsan Photography for the wonderful pictures she took of Joey!

I am a stay at home mom, and would not have it any other way. Before we had Joey, I always thought I would be a working mom. I thought that I would be okay with Joey being in daycare or in the care of someone else. As soon as I lost my job a few months before he was born, I realized that was not what I wanted. I'm still a working mom, as any other stay at home mom is. I'm a chef, maid, play buddy, and avid Pinterest researcher. I wish I had more time to be on Pinterest. I have to find all of the wonderful recipes to try with my family! 

That's a brief summary of our story! Thanks for reading :-)

-Laura