handy man

fall is creeping in...and i love it! the smell, the breeze, the need for longer sleeves, and i even spotted some red leaves this weekend too! hubby and i spent time at our local flea market this weekend! i love these days together!

oddly enough...the vendors had exactly what i am always looking for, but i was not in the market for those things this trip! we did come across...just "the find" we were searching for! an old wooden ladder!

there are many times that i dream up crazy ideas when it comes to decorating. some work and some i can't get to work outside my head and others i wonder if they are border line crazy and my supportive husband takes the challenge of making them feasible! the ladder is one that started in my head and we were so surprised to actually find one that would fit what we needed it for...now lets just hope it actually works for what its intended!

we stopped by lowe's on the way home to pick up some paint for it and handy man hubby set to work getting it cleaned, sanded, and layered in a fresh coat of paint!

he did a fabulous re-do job! it turned out perfectly! it will be a unique addition to the little man's room all loved and cleaned up nice by his daddy!

...our unexpected find was this antique cradle. not that we need a cradle {because i LOVE the one we found last year}, but with the unique look of this piece, its fabulous spindles, and its shocking price...we couldn't pass it up! the question was more along the lines of "will it fit in the car"? not too sure what we'll use it for yet, but i'm leaning towards adding wood to the bottom {instead of the slats that came with it} and using it to hold the little man's toys! ...any other creative ideas ladies?

hope your weekends are turning out breezy and cool too! i just love this time of year! of course, it also means the little mister is making his debut soon...8 weeks and counting!!!

30 wks 2 days

little mister babe,

if you only knew how so very in love we are with you. hopefully from the belly pats, sweet talks, and soothing prayers we pray for you you are quickly learning our love for you. oh little one may you always feel loved. you are quite playful...you respond to our tender nudges with kicks or sometimes you like to play chase...but you never venture far and always come back to where you started. i love the feel of your rolls and flips. you are so calm in your movements...is this a peek into your personality? you favor my right side and i can always feel you tucked away over there...your daddy wonders if this means you really won't be a lefty.

we are getting to excited to meet you...don't come out yet though or kick your way through...sometimes i can feel you trying to find the nearest exit...its not yet time. snug tight little one i get to carry you all to myself a bit longer.

so very much loving you,
mommy

lovely week

we had a lovely visit with mom! it is always so sad to see her go and so hard too...but this time i couldn't help, but realize what her next visit will be like and the ones from now on. i will be a mommy too...oh how this little man will adore his lala!

we worked hard this week getting his room together and we made amazing strides! wait until you see the before and after! a few things are left on the to-do/must-find list in order to call the nursery complete...

• find shelving for the wall above his changing table {hoping to find something vintage this weekend at one of our favorite spots...if not, i might have to settle}
• waiting on his rocker to arrive...a couple more weeks {such a sweet surprise from hubby!}
  
• finish the lamp we are making out of an old unique vintage piece...such a group effort this one!
• mom is currently sewing his cord cover for the chandi {are you surprised he will have one in his room...bet not!}, and the blanket and pillow we dreamed up and designed.
• complete the pad and cover for the window seat
  

and what we accomplished in just one week...a whole lot! ...see...

mom painted his room...

...she and hubby assembled his crib

...we got his bedding on his bed...all handmade by his lala...her gift for the little mister...and its gorgeous! the curtains {also made by lala} were hung! thank you so much mom!!!

...mom and i explored a local little town that i have been wanting to check out...sewickley. we found the cutest little shops along downtown...

selling the most unique things...we ventured into this one shop that had all kinds of colorful notions and yarns...

mom treated me to lunch at the best little eatery i have found in pittsburgh {or the greater area!}...the sewickley cafe.

we ate outside in their garden. it has a beautiful tent right in the middle of it with open sides and a ceiling of gathered silk and a chandi right in the center of course!

the menu had lots to choose from and the food was fabulous!

mom had a raspberry walnut salad with amazing dressing & and i had a scrumptious chicken salad sandwich with a fabulous side salad... {yes...i cleaned my plate...yes i eat more preggo than i ever have...and yes, i was still hungry again in 2 hours!}

and then for dessert...homemade tiramisu...oh my so yummy!

...my MUCH anticipated stroller arrived! thank you so very much mom!!!!

...i celebrated my birthday with my 2 favorite people and the {GROWING} bump...hubby treated mom and i to dinner at the cheesecake factory...we love this place!! we were much too full {me mostly from their fabulous brown oat bread} to have dessert...so mom fixed the most amazing chocolate chip cheesecake you most certainly ever tasted...yumm!!

after dinner we spent time exploring some neat shops and took in a bit of the live tunes too!

...mom finished up his cradle bedding...love it!!!

...we explored a local conservatory with 17 botanical gradens...such a gorgeous place i have been anxious to see!

...and our last outing was to one of my ob appts! so lala got to hear the little mister's heartbeat...live!

it was such a lovely week and this nesting momma-to-be feels so much more at ease now that preparations are coming together for the little man's arrival!! we are in the single digits now...less than 9 weeks until due-day!

queen is comin'

guess who's coming to town! and we-are-so-excited!! hubby has his menu requests and i have a long list of must-dos! mom will be here for my birthday and she's coming with the little mister's bedding in tow! she has been working like a busy busy lala since i left texas and she has finished his bedding and curtains! i can't wait to see it all put together!! we are going to spend this week putting the nursery together...this will be fabulous for my overwhelming current nesting phase! not to mention i am so anxious to see his room ready!

26 wks 2 days

i am so thankful to have spent the last week+ in texas surrounded by friends and family. it is always so different going home without hubby...i always miss him so very much. but we both agreed it would be so "weird" {for lack of a better word} to never go home pregnant and come home with a baby! i so enjoyed to begin sharing our little babe with the family as they feel his kicks, growing bump, see his thumps and for him to be introduced to their voices and feel them mashing on him!

i can only imagine that when he makes his visit to texas it will feel more so...but to walk through my house that i have grown up in, to sit in my backyard that i spent hours upon hours playing in, to spend time with my siblings that i have grown through all life's quirks with, to see my parents anticipate becoming grandparents, and to drive the streets that will always look familiar...all knowing he is with me and kicking around in my belly...its been amazing. amazing because in those walls i dreamed of what it would feel like to grow up, marry, and be pregnant, i spent many a times wondering what my first child would be...a boy or a girl, and i spent many a prayers for the father of those children...so to have those answers now and to be inside those walls again...such an amazing gift!

{ pics are a couple weeks behind now...i am now 28 weeks...and growing! }