Built-In Dreams.....

The office has been a work in progress ever since Amy doodled on the chalk board wall.  It is a small and narrow space that one day might need to function as a second bedroom, toy area, still an office, etc.  Currently the space is a hodge podge of items that don't have a permanent home at the moment.  I need a new rug, a nice house plant and some art.  But what I really want is a tiny built-in bench area under the window that includes book space underneath for storage.  I will have start saving change and make it a long term goal.  Inspiration images:

I love me some built-ins:

Via:

Via:

Via:

Via:

Via:

  

Lucketts Space....

I was able to go to auction yesterday and grab a load to fill the space.  It's been a little neglected with the new addition, but I should be back on track.  Just a few of the items that made it's way to the store.

A vintage pair of faux bamboo style lamps:

An old iron shaving mirror and horse prints:

A fun brass serving table:

Pawleys Island Posh....Nursery Feature

Happy Monday everyone.  I am so excited the Julia featured Grady's nursery today, Pawleys Island Posh.  I love her style and blog, so this was a lot of fun!  Hop on over and take a look:

One Month Baby Update....

Baby G is just over 5 weeks old at this point.  I thought I would give a month by month update on life as a parent, newborn happenings and whatever else comes along:

  Baby G in a nutshell:

• Has grown 2 1/2 inches and gained a solid pound.
• Likes to pee only when changing his diaper or getting a bath.
• Enjoys grown up music since I know no lullabies.  His favorite songs are "Can't Hold Us" and "Daughter."  Probably because of my killer dance moves and awesome singing voice.  
• Hates bouncers, swings and any contraption that parents swear by. 
• Is starting to smile regularly in addition to just having gas. 

Parenting in a nutshell:

• You are super anxious when you realize you might be one of those couples that has a colicky baby.
• Colic babies tend to cry for more than 3 hours a day for 3 straight days for a period of weeks.  You are then confused when your baby continues to have 2 bad days and then 1 good one over and over again.  You swear he does it on purpose to toy with you.  
• Although he hates the bouncer when awake, it is one of the only things he will stay asleep in when passed out.  You curse the company that makes it because it times off after a 1/2 hour and he automatically wakes up like an alarm clock went off.  Instead, you stare at it like an idiot waiting to push the button like a mad man so he doesn't wake up. 
• Your husband either looks at your with pure sympathy, laughs at you or runs away when he sees items such as the breast pump.  
• You feel really bad when you accidentally do things like drop a english muffin with peanut butter on his head or think you give him whip lash when you discover a huge spider on your arm and jump.
• Eventually the zombiness will kick in and you constantly leave car doors open, the shower on or forget how to do simple tasks that you have been doing for years. 
• You have minor meltdowns when all he wants you for is milk and you can't calm him, but anyone that seems to already have had kids can do it in seconds.  
• Then you feel guilty when you run away for 20 minutes when that person got him calm to have a beer, but you do not regret that beer.  Hello Blue Moon with orange. 
• Your mom asks if you brushed your hair, when in fact you happen to shower that day, wash it and gave it a blow dry.  And I thought I was looking decent that day.
• Sad that your weight loss stalls after 2 weeks and it looks like you'll need to put some major effort in. 
• I don't care what anyone says, mastering the swaddle is one of the hardest things ever.  Still working on it. 
• The hair dryer will stop him from crying.  It is now on about 80% of waking hours.
• You think you are accomplished one day when you find something that works to calm him or get him to sleep.  Then bewildered when you try it again only for him to stare you straight in the face with a "ha-ha, gotcha lady" look.  He is either baby genius or will be reeking havoc as soon as he can speak.  
• Are aware that its a bad idea, but would love to invent one of those head pieces for a pacifier to stay on.  

Collections

I like collections when displayed and done in a decorative way.  Small groupings placed in the right setting is a great way to design.  I recently started a small collection of ginger jars in addition to other groupings of books, ironstone, glass bottles and antique prints thrown around the house.  Some collection favs:

Via:

Via:

Via:

Via:

Via:

Things I Wish I Knew In College.....

As I near 30 and 7 years out of college, we often reminisce of those 4, well 4.5 years of fun and freedom.  We also reminisce about the ridiculousness that we pretty much were.  If the 30 year old could tell the 20 year old a few things, they would consist of:

• Sun-In is not an acceptable form of hair highlights.  You will not know this until you look back at photos and see that your hair is orange.  You lucky I-Phone generation may notice this 10 times faster.
• Do not, I repeat..do not ever buy ducks from Tractor Supply.  No matter how cute they are and based on the fact that they cost $5.

• You look at old people, such as ourselves now, that come back and say to never graduate and think they are lame.  They are not, and you soon realize that a Master's degree and two more years in town would have been fantastic. 
• You will always look like an idiot on Halloween.  
• You will gain weight, look back on pictures and would pay for that body.  I'm not saying late night pizza is okay every day, but hey it's college. 
• Attend every 80's party possible.  I don't need to explain why, they are just awesome. 
• Do not be so dramatic when you call home, it worries your mother.  **Even though I was not exaggerating.  I do want your credit card number to book a flight home from Chicago because our team flight is cancelled for the 4th time and our coaches are drunk and we have resorted to buying underwear in the hotel gift shop because these are the days when your check your bags.  
• Do not go sky diving on your mother's credit card and then mail her the surprise video, but do go skydiving. 
• You will most likely not marry your first college boyfriend.  Or better yet, your high school boyfriend that you still date going into college.  You know, the lovely long distance, but we so love each other phase. 
• Remain at school for the summer.  Do not wait until senior year to figure this out. 
• Putting fresh sliced peaches in your mimosa is a great addition.  
• Make sure you know how to work all appliances before going to school.  Putting hand soap in the dishwasher makes for angry friends.
• Don't ever come home to three roommates with a cat, it is just rude.  Lab puppies are acceptable.
• The party is almost never worth it at your house due to clean up.
• Chanting "drink from the keg" no matter how fun, can not be considered a legit game.  It probably also spreads MONO. 
• If you go anywhere that has a dueling piano bar, stay there.  There is no need to venture anywhere else or see the rest of the town.
• You may not enjoy Freshman year, but wait it out. 
• Live downtown.
• You will not be friends with everyone.  It's impossible. 
• When on road trips, be aware of different states and their driving laws.  
• Make the most out of all of it!

Spending Money On Your Home...

For a lot of people, the decor and design of their home is important to them and making it what you want can cost a pretty penny.  The process often causes lovely discussions with your husband that end with "agree to disagree."

Most of us do not have unlimited funds, which makes making a home take a good bit of time and effort.  Throughout our two homes, I have had a lot of hits, misses, regrets, good finds, etc.  A few things that I have found worth it and some not so much:

Worth It:

• At least one forever piece in each space.  I consider a forever piece something that will last a long time,  one that you can't think of parting with, would maybe want to hand down, will still work if you change the decor style and one that you think might look good 15 years down that road.  That is a handful, but doable.  Examples:

Neutral, sturdy wood:

Via:

A large piece:

• A big hutch can be used to store china in a dining room or move it to a living room for books and collections:

Via:

Permanete Features:

• Ones that will add value to your home; built-ins, molding, bead board, french doors, etc:

Via:

Artwork:

• A few pieces that you love always add character to your home and they are items that will always be with you.  Artwork can be expensive, but you can always find quality upcoming artists or things in your travels.  Example; I bought a cow painting off Etsy that I loved by Robert Joyner.  Two years later he became pretty big when he became the artist for the Kentucky Derby program.  It made me like it even more!

Via:

Upgraded Lighting:

• A few pieces of non standard/builder grade lighting.  Our first home had probably 10 shiny, not the pretty kind, brass light fixtures.  They were awful.  Upgrade a few, it's a must:

These:

 

To these:

Via:

Not So Much:

Fillers:

• In our first home, we moved in with nothing.  A lot of times, we found ourselves ending up with items just to fill the space.  It wasn't what we wanted, but needed a few things here and there.  Not my style, I regret spending a lump some of money for multiple items.  I would have rather spend all that money on a piece that I loved.  I found I rather not have it, then filling it.  In some cases that doesn't cut it, but we never used that eat-in kitchen table that we purchased just to sit on.  Most of the time if you find yourself sitting there going this will do, you will end up selling it on Craigslist sooner than later. 

Expensive counters:

• We got granite right before putting our first house on the market.  I got a higher level than planned and regret not the counter re-do, but my choice.  The counters out shined the rest of the kitchen and we would have made the same impact with a lower level granite or just something that was less busy.  Tip: restrain yourself in this department.  If you really want upscale marble, try it on an island and use the rest of the money on another splurge you wouldn't have planned on getting.

Via:

Expensive Rugs:

• I love me a good rug and would die for a huge Turkish style type that normally runs over $1500, but it will most likely never happen.  A much better option is a large neutral/sisal type rug, with a smaller rug of your choice layered on top:

Via:

Friday Pretty....

Thinking of outdoor gatherings:

Via:

Via:

Via:

Via:

Instagram....

I am obsessed.  It is a problem.  Especially now that I am home, it is one of the main things that keeps me entertained.  Sometimes, well a lot of times, I will be walking around rocking baby G and just snap images around the house for fun.  Some recent photos from @smalltownstripes, as well as a quick list of a few of my favorites to follow:

A few to look for:

@agoldenafternoon

@cottageandvine

@eventsinthecity

@smallfryblog

@bijouandboheme

@brynalexandra

@abodelove

@calderclark

@brooklynlimestone

@hollymathisinteriors

@manny_the_frenchie

Birth Story...Sort Of...

I won't turn this into a blog about baby stuff only, even though that is pretty much that all that is going on right now.  I shared the nursery tour and newborn pics, so that last of it for a while is G baby's birth story.  I am an open book when it comes to this kind of stuff, you ask, I tell, but I'm not going to rip into every detail of the day.  That would just be weird for me to write down.  I will just sum up the good, bad and ugly:

 

I was due May 5th, but being that Danny was 10lbs. 14 oz. and my doctor thought that Grady was fully cooked, she preferred that I get induced on the 30th.  I was not a fan of this early, but it would maybe help my chances of no c-section, which was pretty much my only goal.  The low down:

 

• I went in at 7am to get all ready and hooked up.  They move quick and by 7:15, I was getting hooked up to an IV.  The week before at my non stress test the nurse punctured my vein and I looked like a heroin addict for the next seven days.  Not kidding, one lady at work accused me of doing drugs while preggars.  Well coincidentally, the same nurse came in for my IV.  I wasn't that concerned, but she put the needle in and fidgeted and then said she would have to re-do it.  She took it out and next thing I know, I am super sweaty, about to pass out and have on an oxygen mask. 
• Me in all my glory and my love for strangers, am about to tell the nurse that we are not friends.  I go to the bathroom and I see Danny go tell Buffy, my main awesome/want to be friends with her nurse that needle lady probably should take a hike or this won't be fun for anyone.  This is good news, being that I was wondering how Danny would handle this whole labor thing and so far I don't have to boss him around. 
• After my little detour, we start the pitocin.  I am already 3 cm dilated and they say if all goes well, I should be having a baby between 5pm-8pm.  Emphasis on "should be."
• Me and baby like the pitocin and are doing well.  They keep upping it.  No epidural at this point.  Level 20 is the highest you can go.  I am at 10.  5cm dilated.  Good stuff. 
• Nurse Buffy warns me that contractions go from manageable to not in about 20 minutes and she warns me to order an epidural.  I ignore her, in hopes that I can manage it and hold off as long as possible so things don't slow down.
• Should have listened to Buffy.  Not a happy camper. At level 18 and starving.  Only allowed sips of Gatorade, but when they aren't looking I am chugging it.
• Epidural in, happy camper minus the fact that it gives you the major shakes. 
• Get checked and I am 8cm dilated, it's noon.  They start bringing in carts, tables, extra staff like I will have a baby soon.  I am a Pitocin induced rock star.
• Heart monitor shows that G baby is not liking something and his heart rate is way low.  They put me on my side.  It seems to be the only position he can tolerate. Get checked again.  I am now 5cm dilated.  I went backwards.  Pitocin and I are no longer friends, a quick break up like you got cheated on.  Labor is stopped. 
• 6 hours later, still on my side despite attempts to move me around.  If things don't change, c-section is looking like my only option.   They think he is laying on his cord.
• My doctor gets called into 2 emergency c-sections.  Looks like G baby was able to move down a little and heart rate is okay.  She agrees to let me slowly start pitocin again. 
• I dilate very slowly.  Doctor isn't feeling it.  It's been 15 hours since my water broke and she thinks I won't have energy to push even if I do dilate and she's worried about infection. She obviously doesn't know that endurance the only reason I was recruited for lacrosse and it is my one strong suit.  As Danny says, I am now pissed and take this as a challenge. 
• To top it off, my epidural runs out.  I try to hold off thinking that it might stall things again.  I have a minor meltdown.  Crying to Danny that I can't do it because I am so hungry.  He tries not to laugh at me. 
• It's now May 1st, but I am told I can push.  My least favorite part of the whole process. I feel like I am going to die by popping a blood vessel in my head.
• Danny tries to make a joke that at this time 8 years ago we were closing down the bar.  No one laughs and he accidentally spills Riptide Rush on my face.  A waste of the best Gatorade ever. 
• Doctor warns me that his head is super swollen and bruised due to being stuck for so long.  That is an understatement.
• G baby appears.  He is totally tangled in his cord and they start working on him. 
• I am exhausted, still shaking and need to do the rest of the ugly stuff and also get stitched up.
• G baby is finally good to go and all is calming down. I think he's pretty.
• I make someone go to a 24hr MacDonald's as nothing good will happen until I'm fed.
• The milkshake machine was broken.  WTF.  This always happens.

That is the majority of it, minus all the disgusting details.  You name it, it probably happened throughout the day.  Some people claim its a miracle right after it is all over.  While it is crazy and G baby is precious, I will be traumatized for a while!!!

 

And no, I am not going to post a picture right after labor.  Use your imagination.