Nesting, Resting.

Things that have been happening!
I haven't felt like nesting throught this pregnancy - similar to my last one - until right now. And suddenly I have to have everything DONE before this baby comes in errr about 2.5 weeks?!

I'm sure I've harped on enough about our drawer (and total lack-of) situation so when I discovered a parallel importer of IKEA furniture into New Zealand I'm jumped on and then spent the next 6 months deliberating over whether to purchase drawers that I have never seen in real life, from an online store called "AKIA". Sounds reputable, right??

Our room
In the end the literal piles of clothing on our bedroom floor, stair banister, and every other hangable surface just overwhelmed me too much and Calum agreed we should get drawers. You know, because it's been 3 years.

We got the Hemnes 6 drawer set for our bedroom and even tho it took almost an entire rare-sunny Saturday to assemble which my husband took about 24 hours to forgive me for, we now all agree it was worth it. You should have seen his face when I showed him his drawer for allllllllll the tshirts and shorts that were previously kept in a pile by his bed and in other rooms. *Christmas*.

I have a bit of a nesting bucket list this stage, and currently the next item is to add our huge mirror above these drawers and move that bag hook somewhere else. There is currently nowhere for a full-length mirror but maybe one day when/if we ever redo our wardrobe doors, we could get mirrored ones as that would solve that issue.


Dining room
Another item on my Nesting list was to get this hung above the dining table. It's a print of an oil painting from Otago and we both love the landscape there. It's actually quite huge tho in this photo the perspective view of our ginormous dining table dwarves it.

(On the One Day list: new dining chairs. We have 3 left in this room and one is completely ripped. The others are even worse and hiding downstairs).



Baby room
Ella transitioned nicely to her big-girl-bed in a different room so the baby room was left as a blank slate. I pulled down all her personal (and pink!) decor type things and started putting together a few bits for baby boy. He's not actually going to be sleeping in here for a while so it's more of a place to keep his clothes/blankets/changing gear.

Blogger is affecting the white balance in these photos as it always does... the walls are a bright white, not this dull grey that shoes through all the following pics!

I had been meaning to make a star garland but tooooo much work so I just threaded some felt balls that I already had onto a piece of string to make a really simple hanging for over the cot. We live in earthquake territory so picture frames or anything else on this wall was not an option to me.

We got another 3-drawer Ikea Hemnes drawer set off Trademe and I bought the Skubb organisers from Ikea... they are so good! I feel stunned that I never even used drawers with Ella - no wonder I had random containers of stuff everywhere. Currently I don't even have anything to keep on the changing table shelves.


My sis-in-law made this little quilt for our boy. How cute is it?


This pic was taken on a different day (today) but I just got these baskets on super-sale at The Warehouse and I'm using that hook to hang one for chucking dirty clothes etc into. It's not exactly a full-size laundry hamper but it will be fine for a day's worth of baby clothes/cloths and it's in throwing distance from where I'll be changing him.


The wardrobe is currently just baby-gear storage since his drawers hold all his clothes:

It's not 'set up' but here's my feeding corner for now.



And for an appreciation of how far this room has come... here's how it looked when Ella lived here:
 (Note: I love the knobs on those drawers, but the drawers themselves never got used as they're quite old and topply, and I kept all her clothes on hangers anyway).

Is the baby room "finished"? I don't know - I would like the paint the walls a very light warm grey and I know it's going to change when he actually lives in this room, but I like where it's headed. I do want to get this lamp for nighttime feeds.


Ella's room
So, we moved Ella into this room:
[Lucky kid.............]
... which actually used to be this room, so it could have been worse:


But over the past week I've got it looking like this:

Which is not finished, but a big improvement!
Next on the Nesting list - hang mirror, add this lamp, and get all the junk out from the other side of this room behind the camera. I also bought her a different toy basket so that I could use the one above in the baby's room... but she's not having it. :S

One Day: A headboard and painting the walls Dulux Manorburn Half. (And new carpet for the whole house - I can dream).

Other Nesting news...
We put the cradle/bassinet by my bed last night. It's getting so real.

You can't see a lot of the blanket above but my mum knitted it and it's soooo soft and heavy which is perfect for a little baby.



Still on my Nesting List:

1. Target clutter spots in our house and get them sorted!
2. Clean out bathroom cupboard
3. Clean out fridge and freezers

And a few other things I can't remember right now.
AND trying to get some rest before the big event. Which I'm a little terrified about.








Bumpdate 35 weeks (baby #2)


Craving: Cream, whipped cream, runny cream, cream with cream on top, cream in a sea of cream. Oh and carrots, parsley, and fresh-grown tomatoes from our greenhouse. Clearly I am deficient in some kind of mineral. And cream.

Struggling with: Awful heartburn whenever I eat a meal that's bigger than toddler-sized (to the point I can vom from it); those killer leg cramps that won't go away even after limping laps around the house at 3am and popping magnesium pills like Pez; Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) that wakes me up every time I move in my sleep. So sore! I feel like I'm 90 because this 'relaxin' hormone might be loosening up my ligaments in preparation for birth but the pain of it is not very relaxin. See what I did there.

Enjoying: The fact that time is flying and I haven't had severe HG this pregnancy. I feel like I've still had more uncomfortable symptoms than the average pregnancy but still, no HG so, weeeeehooooo. Also getting drawers in our baby room at long last! Just waiting on more sets for the other rooms so that poor Ella can actually sleep in a proper bedroom and not just in a bed that's surrounded by storage piles.

Baby name: I think we might have this chosen because it's probably the only boy's name we agree on. But why are middle names so hard?!

Hospital bag: mostly packed. I packed the bare essentials - PJs, a robe, some lollies, and a bunch of baby clothes and nappies. Have I missed something???!! I'm not interested in listening to music over my own screams, and I'm not naive enough to think I'll have any time/concentration/energy to read a book over the following days. We are hoping to give birth at an actual hospital this time (last time we didn't make it as things happened a bit fast; we ended up at a birthing unit with no doctors on the premises). My midwife wants me in a real hospital for at least 24 hours after the birth based off a few complications last time so the plan is to RACE there as soon as I feel the first twinge. Eeek. Please can it not happen during peak traffic...

Speaking of birth... why does no-one ever talk about how scary it is to be facing birth again?! (JK, please don't talk to me about your scary birth stories, ever). Ella's birth went surprisingly well and straight forward but I'm still nervous. After nearly 3 years of parenthood I've spoken to enough other mums now to realise how many things can go differently to what you've planned... and that freaks me out a bit. If things go straightforward and as well as last time, I'm still nervous about the final contraction before pushing (the one you kind of feel surprised that you survived) and crowning. Ohhhhhhhh man.

Birth plan: Well, I'm not typing it out carrying it around in a clearfile like I did last time ;D. The plan is more to just go with it and hope for the best. My midwife seems pretty in-control and trustworthy so I'm happy just leaving it to her to tell me what to do. And maybe try getting in the tub this time if I get to hospital early enough to be able to move?! Last time I was in a wheelchair from the car to the birthing suite, and then they must have lifted me onto a swiss ball and I was definitely not moving after that point. I just sat there until someone got me onto the bed just in time to push my baby out. Ah fun memories.

Wearing: Just the same dress, day after day, rain or shine, taking a break for just long enough to wash it and put it back on =) Jeans are my nemesis - or anything that clings to my legs actually - so I only wear them when I really have to.

Feeling: Pretty tired and lethargic every day, sometimes also faint and breathless. Baby is sitting really low so walking anywhere, even at snail's pace, is a new kind of torture for my bladder. On the extremely rare occasion that the sun comes out I get a burst of energy and get things done. But usually with plenty of lying down in between.

Ready or not:  I'm feeling ready to have a newborn. Kind of. In a couple of weeks. It's more that I want our bedrooms sorted out (we're mid-swap and it's ugly) but I have to receive and assemble a few sets of drawers first. Once everything's organised, in place, and we have hopefully sold a bunch of our furniture that's currently listed on Trademe... then I'll be ready, and I wouldn't mind if bub came a little bit early. Ella has just become SO independent in the last few months - she now dresses herself, goes toilet herself, packs her bag (not the most practically, but still); takes herself to bed; and wants to do absolutely everything "all by mine self" so I don't feel like we have a baby here anymore! I feel like this 2.9yr gap has been perfect.

Big sister: She seems excited about the baby, she knows it's in my belly, and she's the kind of toddler who dotes on every baby she meets. So I'll think she'll be ok, but still, it's a big transition for my little miss. Luckily she is a total daddy's girl right now so hopefully he'll have some time to give her lots of attention while I'm feeding on the couch 100 hours per day (feels like).

Nesting: I honestly nest better when I'm not pregnant. Most of my life is nesting... and then I get preg and I'm all about drinking milk and cream and antacids, and the intoxicating smell of bleach/bark/dirt after the rain. Why is dirt so good you guys.


So that was my fascinating bumpdate for pregnancy #2. Hopefully after the baby comes I'll have more brain energy for writing entertaining blog posts like in the good old days.... so witty and hilarious. (jk)
ORRRRR this will just turn into a really mediocre mum-blog for people who care about my life due to being related to me. We'll see.







2017 Goals

Last year was a fun year with a few interesting trips and events, but ultimately I ended the year dissatisfied and unfulfilled.

I was getting anxiety and stress over things that shouldn't be so important, but to me they are. We've lived here for over 3 years without working chests of drawers in our bedrooms, or wardrobe space, or a dining room table that's not being used as an office desk. We've lost our system of meal planning because for the bulk of this pregnancy (at least until around 22 weeks, tho I still dislike it) I haven't been able to face cooking or thinking about meals. We'd gotten into the habit of watching Netflix whenever we had a spare evening which felt so nice and relaxing but ultimately ate the whole evening away and never ended up having proper conversations. Prayer and quiet times felt a million miles away and just difficult. I would wake up whenever Ella woke me up because I was/am always so tired but it meant I never had any alone-time before the day started with a bang. Calum would come home stressed from work and preoccupied with the million things he had on, and I would be stressed from the monotony of daily life in a constant cycle of COOKING-CLEANING-WASHING-COOKING-CLEANING whilst being so tired/sore/sick/pregnant. Basically we were going through the motions of normal family life but it wasn't satisfying and it could/should be so much better........ you get the picture?

Enter 2017.
This years holds so many changes, unknowns, and risks for us, and I think that sense of being all in together for whatever comes next has been good. Technically with a new baby coming and my husband launching out on his own into business stuff (which could be a while before it's up and running) we should have a lot to be scared of. But we're both so excited. 

Goals
So about goals. I've never been a big fan because, fear of failure. But this year I ordered some Powersheets before Christmas as a gift to myself and a month after the beginning of the year, after so much thought and prayer, I finally have some goals in place that I'm actually excited about and achieving and have been practicing/refining through January.
One of the concepts in Powersheets is that you choose a word for the year. That seemed a little cheesy/forced to me until today when I was pottering around in our sunny house, a breeze blowing through the windows that are finally open (Summer in Wellington didn't get the memo), listening to Calum working in the garden and Ella helping him so happily, making a quiche for our picnic later today and eating a tomato from our greenhouse... that the words popped into my mind "Seek Peace and pursue it - Psalm 34:14". And that's it - PEACE. Not in a political way (don't freak ;) ) and not in a "world peace" way although that would be great. And not really in an "inner peace" way because that's very individual. But peace in our home, and in our life together.

The past month has shown me that peace comes from a few things in our home. Firstly from having more quality time together and developing that friendship that can slip out of relationships so fast. And secondly, creating a peaceful home by making it welcoming, uncluttered and functional (i.e easy to keep somewhat tidy/less chaotic.)
[My prayer journal, normal journal/diary. and goal-setting book]

I'm so rambling through this post and it's making me mad. But I feel like I need to explain more than simply list my goals!

So here they are, goals that are all designed to create peace in our home and family:

  • Pray every day, using my prayer journal because writing seems to be the only way I can focus my thoughts. There is something amazing about looking back through prayer requests and seeing the ways they have been answered - from the tiny to the huge. I knew that if I could make this a priority, everything else would fall into place.
  • Less Netflix, more quiet evenings of rest, or chatting. THIS HAS BEEN AMAZING. I feel almost guilty for doing things like having a bath, or getting in bed early with a book or journal, but those things are no less productive than Netflix and actually make me feel pampered and rested, and just like life is moving nice and slowly instead of manically.
  • Doing more things together with hubs. Life has a way of making parents really really worn out. We occasionally go on dates but it needs to be more - everyday things. So recently we've started cooking together sometimes; even if it means Ella ends up being entertained by cartoons so we can do so, it's a small sacrifice that means we get to chat and also, working together on something is awesome.
  • Maintain a simple daily routine. If I had no kids, this would be more elaborate, but for now I'm stoked if I can have a shower every night, write in my journal (something I haven't done since errrr about 2004?) and pray. About the shower at night - I don't know why it changes my whole day but it does. Instead of having a shower at any given moment when my daughter was asleep (could be 8am, could be 2pm, could be never :D ) I'm opting to have one every single night after she's in bed. For one, power is cheaper after 7pm with our power company,  for 2, it makes you feel fresh and cosy at bedtime which helps sleep I'm sure; and for 3 it means I can get dressed the minute I wake up each morning instead of thinking "I'll just stay in my PJs until I get time to take a shower" then *....3 days later.....*. Kapeesh? So... my 2017 goal is to shower daily and I wrote a whole paragraph about it because it's that much of a novel discovery to me................................................. *shame*
  • Spend less. There's nothing like being forced into a goal in order to make it happen. :) I'm finding this challenge really satisfying. We aren't eating out, I'm baking our bread and muesli for each week, and I'm monitoring all our spending closely on PocketSmith. 
  • Organise our bedrooms/storage situations. Kind of seems to contradict the point above, but we've purchased some new drawers for the baby's room that are already SO WORTH IT for their organisational ability (I forgot how good it is to actually put clothes in drawers instead of in random baskets...) and we've gone ahead and ordered 2 more sets - one for Ella's room and one for our room. I actually sat on this purchase decision for months before pulling the trigger. I now ask myself "Do I want and need this? Will I want and need it in 5 years? Is it a quality that will last us for hopefully decades?" if the answer is yes, and it's a reasonable price and we've done our research, than we can get it. It has to be something that, if we don't buy it now, we are going to continue needing for at least 5 years. Which means it's worth purchasing now so that we can benefit from it for those 5 years and hopefully many more. We also purchased a food mixer for our kitchen on special (almost half price) and it has been so amazing - that's the only reason I can make decent bread several times per week. Otherwise I don't think I'd be doing it with all the manual kneading that is super messy and hard on your hands too. I've already used it for so many things and it's taken my housewife game up a notch. ;)
So there we go. A really long-winded post about why I am actually choosing goals this year. I feel vulnerable hitting publish since these are so basic and kind of boring, but maybe someone out there will feel encouraged to go for a fresh start this year too! Even IF you are "just" a stay-at-home-mum like me.