Drew's room (baby boy #4)

 

Those of you who are bored with this already, sorry. I LOVE doing these little collages of fabrics. It saves me the time of going to the store and unwisely buying a yard or two of unnecessary fabrics (for pillows for instance). I already have the stripe in the top left. It is called Bazaar stripe, by P. Kaufmann I believe. The majority of the other fabrics are by Joel Dewberry, with the exception of the Minky which can be bought anywhere. A Google search will bring up the stores that sell these fabrics. Anyway, If I could remember where I found them I would link them all, but I am not trying to sell them, I just like them.

Anyway, yesterday I had the epiphany that I would do my nursery in aqua,brown and orange if we are expecting a boy. So after a little bit of looking,this is what I came up with. I may make some little fabric animals as well to go with. I don't like to get too themey, namely because I usually have an idea in my head as to what would be cute and I can't find it. Or it costs too much. I am not sure as to how I am going to put all of this together, I may have to do some drawings first.
Also, the title, I know some might be wondering who is Drew. Maybe, the little one in utero. We have an appointment Thursday at 10:00. The gender of this child is the most highly anticipated mystery. So for all of you who don't find out, I don't know how you manage. The first part of this pregnancy has crept by, it seems to me it passes by much faster once that little cat is out of the bag. I like to start making day gowns, and bedding, and going shopping. That kind of gets put on hold. Whatever... I am dying to know and I am not going to make any excuses for it.

Den Fabrics

I wish that making collages out of fabrics would curb my enthusiasm for wanting to change things up. It does not, it just makes me want me to fix up even more.
The above picture is my den, as you can see it is very brown. I love brown evidently, and I mistakenly assumed I would not get tired of it. I am not necessarily tired of brown, I am just tired of the over abundance of it in this one room.I wish I knew how to put these pictures of the fabrics actually on the furniture. Anyway, if Andy would give me some money, I would first buy the blue and brown fabric with the tufts. I would upholster the chair and ottoman in that to start with. It would co-ordinate with all of the existing furniture, so I could stop there. But I would not if I had the dinero. My next step would be to have a slipcover made out of the burlap linen for the couch. It is very comfy and the scale is just fine for the room, it just needs a little freshening up. The next thing I would have made are slipcovers for the club chairs out the blue and brown linen. I would leave the rug. I would have the lamps wired out of these brown vases that I have had for about 2 years. As you can see I would have all of this done for me, not by me. Anyway, I know it is not a major departure from the existing scheme, I am fairly predictable on my likes. Maybe if I ride up to the fabric store and check out(bring it home) the blue tufted I will see that it does nothing for me in person. Hopefully , I can get in and out without backing into a car this time.

More Nursery Fabrics

I am in nursery mode now. I love fabric alot. I also love blue alot. As I said before, the nursery is already blue. It is pretty cute as it is. I have thought since it took me forever and a day to make the curtains and bedding, I should just leave it. That is if this baby is a boy, of course.
Orange was my favorite color as a little girl. Today, Jack said "ange" is his "favite" color too. So this may go for his room if I can't bring myself to make more crib bedding. We haven't figured out the sleeping arrangement for these children yet. Sam, bless his heart sleeps upstairs in his own room. John "protects" Jack by sleeping with him in Jack's room, which is right across the hall from our room. It is the nursery. So... both Johnny and Jack are going to have to move out and up to John's room come September. I think we need to go ahead and start trying now. John has two twin beds that we can push together. Also, no bedding or curtain changes in there.
I am very sensitive to children crying at night. I had nightmares too and I can't stand the thought of them being scared. John also tends to sleep walk. One night, Andy heard a rustling upstairs and found John crying in the shower, asleep. This led to them sleeping together.
I know the new baby will more than likely not sleep in its crib, none of the other guys did. So, I wonder if I should even bother with crib bedding at all.
I have failed to mention that I do happen to have girl crib bedding, just in case. Also, those blue walls will be painted pink as well. She will not have blue clothing either, until she can walk. Then she can have a blue dress.

God has blessed us in countless ways. I am so very excited to be having a baby, boy or girl. Pregnancy is such a struggle for me to die to self. My esteem gets pretty low. My sweet husband reminds me of what a reward we get for such a small sacrifice. I appreciate his thoughtfulness, but nothing about me is small anymore and I have 24 more weeks to go. In my previous prgnancies my weight gain has been substantial, 40,50, and 50 lbs. It's hard looking forward to the prospect of all that. I do not know why it has been particularly hard on me this time, I have bared my giant belly every pregnant summer I have had. Yes, in a bikini.

Babies on the brain

I have been a deadbeat blogger lately. I had a great week, I AM totally feeling better. I did have a sinus infection and I have a nice scab on the end of my nose from blowing it, but other than that, hunky dory. I had an appointment with the second favorite man in my life, Dr. Shoemaker. I had only gained two pounds this time. Holla! Prior to that, I gained 5 in two weeks. I am trying not to be so obsessed about the climbing numbers. I have started exercising with my honey,Andy. We have two elliptical machine set up. He gets the old decrepit one, I get the new one with all the bells and whistles. We fantasize that he is going to be totally buff with washboard abs and I am going to be too except with an enormous stomach. The kids watch us and retrieve cups of water for me.
I also got the good news on Thursday that I can have my ultrasound in three weeks. Yes, we do find out. I am not great at patience. Pray that this baby will be positioned so that we can see it's "business" and that it is healthy.
We have babies on the brain around here. My good friend Jennifer had her baby girl the week before last. She is a such a doll.
Also, my friend and cousin Amanda is expecting a baby boy in 7 weeks, so we will be having a shower for her soon. I am pumped about this. My SIL and MIL will be helping me host it.
The photos above have inspired me. The pom poms are my favorite, I think they will show up everywhere now that I have learned to make them. I bought a yard of each of the Heather Bailey fabrics above to make a table runner (or something). There is a great possibility that my own baby will be another boy. We do have a good track record around here, so I believe that I will use these prints in his little room. The walls are already this beautiful aqua-ish blue. Won't it be cute. Heather has patterns for different little cutesies on her website to use with her killer fabrics. I am in love with them all.

Hallelujah

I am afraid to say it, but I think I might be over the worst of the first trimester sickness. I woke up this morning with a good bit of my former energy. I have scoured my kitchen counters, the inside and outside of the microwave, the oven in and out. I took a break as the slipcovers for my breakfast room chair wash, so I could also pay my bills. My budget has benefited from my sickness but my house hasn't. My Aunt Penny has been easing my burden for the past couple of months, thankfully. The tolerance you can build for nastiness is unbelievable when you feel bad constantly. It has been a good lesson for me. It has also helped me with the wondering of the sex of this baby. I have taken the Intelligender Test. According to it, I am having another boy. The Chinese calender also says boy. You know all of these methods are extremely accurate, like 50%! But I think its a boy as well, I am going to try not to cry at my ultrasound like I did with Jack. Another lesson learned, God could not have blessed me with a more beautiful or sweeter child. He was a booger as a baby though.
I am not sure I would be a good girl mother. I would try to push her to do all of these super girly things that she probably wouldn't want to do. I have three brothers and I wanted to do everything they did.
I am very excited that we get to add another little somebody to our family. I miss having a tiny baby. I have thoroughly doted and babied my little Jack. He'll probably be relieved to not be so suffocated. Who am I kidding, he is going to be insanely jealous. He has been telling me he is not a baby lately, he's a big boy.
Well, my big boy and I are on a roll today, his creativity has kicked in as well, so we've got to go and move furniture and clean. Praise the Lord I am back to normal!
I am leaving you with this photo from House Beautiful, it's the after of my family room(in my dreams). Isn't it fabulous? To look at the entire spread go to http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/blue_as_a_titian

House of Havoc

Yes, I am talking about my house. Actually, the title is the name of a new book I am reading, House of Havoc written by Marni Jameson. I am not finished with it yet, but I am loving it so far. It really puts perspective on living with a family and pets.
Having pets is not my excuse for this disaster. My sweet little kitty, Annabelle, is by far the cleanest member of our family. She eats in one place, she potty's in only one bathroom (the litter box), she bathes herself, she has a built in alarm that causes her to meow outside of my door daily about thirty minutes before I really have to get up. All in all, it is not her fault that the house is a mess. Nor is it mine...It is these people who I live with. Anyway, this ideal that keeps popping into my head(put there by Satan ,of course), really isn't attainable for me. This book gives many pointers on making your house beautiful and neat. It also reinforces most of my previous design decisions. Now, I can be happy again with my world of brown. Dirt is brown, so brown furniture is sort of like dirt camo.
What I love most about the book, is it makes me feel like my current standard of living is o.k. You should read it and feel good about yourself too.

My favorite things

 

I really don't know what I am doing blogging. I should post more, probably. I have noticed that I write way more than most do on their posts. I haven't quite figured out a theme or my purpose for blogging. I love to read other's blogs and one that comes to mind is My Favorite Things, because of the title. So that's what I think the point of my blog is, carrying on about my favorite things. So here is the list of my favorite things...
1. God- I am ashamed to admit he doesn't always get the attention that the other things on my list get, but without him I could do nothing.
2. My husband and children- My husband, Andy is so much more than I ever dreamed of. He is very patient and loving and easy on the eyes. He is very smart, and stubborn-he is always right. He is also gone until Sunday,hunting, which I am not mad about, absence does make the heart grow fonder. I love him more since we've had these three little boys. I see what a good Daddy God has turned him into, which has made him a better husband as well. Speaking of our three boys, they continue to delight and aggravate me. They delight me way more than they aggravate me, but it can be a lot on one's nerves-the endless energy of three males. I would not change them for anything though.
3. My brother Chris- he is my oldest and best friend. I have other brothers, two to be exact, and I love them to death. Chris is two years older than me but was only one in school. We've always been close from the time I was born, we have been mistaken as twins. He has been through all of my life's melodramas with me. He helps me gain perspective on a lot of things. I hope I help him do the same. He also makes me fall on the floor laughing. He remembers everything and everybody, and can mimic most.
4.Books and magazines- I love to read. I always have. I don't even remember learning to read, which is amazing to me considering how much I love it. My favorite books to read are fiction and usually are Southern in subject. I guess I like to read what I am familiar with.
5. Creating- I like to sew and draw. Both of which have been on hiatus lately. I don't really love the mechanics of sewing so much, but I do love the satisfaction of turning just a plain piece of fabric into something. I rarely draw unless it is for the kids, which is sad. I was so touched this Christmas, my mother-in-law got me a box of art supplies,it brought tears to my eyes.
6. Design- I love picking things out and drawing up room arrangements and floor plans. Not to scale,of course,because I don't like math.
7. Laundry and cleaning- haha! Just seeing if you are paying attention.

Anyway, if I have anyone that actually reads this and wonders the point of it all, that is it. Just rambling on about the stuff I like. It is not a compete list. I do like my friends and lots of other things, but due to privacy and all, I'll leave it at this.