Sweet Little Things

Spring Break

Spring Break was good for staying close to home {for obvious reasons}.

Spring Break was good for playing {them} and resting {me}.


Spring Break was good for picking "flowers" and sailing leaf boats at the creek.

Spring Break was good for snacking on treats like peanut butter popcorn and fresh strawberries.

Spring Break was good for chasing sunlight.

Spring Break was good for local outings and simple treats {like frozen yogurt}.


Spring Break was good for sewing {a diaper tote for my expected summer nephew}.

Spring Break was good for nesting and making ready a certain room.

Shadows Lengthen

I was sitting in the green chair late yesterday afternoon when I noticed the setting sun playing on the living room wall. I handed the camera to the professor, stepped in front of the light, and we captured this silhouette. In many ways it seems an appropriate image for this point in the journey...

Thirty-six weeks, not much longer to wait. I can see the sun starting to dip to the west and the shadows lengthening... the sun will set on this pregnancy before too long. I'm looking forward to holding my dreamed of baby girl and kissing her warm, downy head. Yet, there is a bit further to go, a few more weeks to savor baby kicks, a little while longer to watch the play of light. Sunsets are beautiful, the one that is approaching will be grand, and the subsequent sunrise... full of joy and bright hope!

A Lone Leaf

Little Brother and I ventured through the rain for Bible study this morning. It was only after we got there that I realized I probably should have stayed home.

Today I'm feeling somewhat like this lone leaf... content to lie where I fall {the couch!} with the hope that no one will come along and pick me up {or expect me to pick myself up}.

Since we've returned home it's been a quiet afternoon and I've had a chance to consider with thankfulness some of the days blessings...

A kind husband who volunteered to take Big Brother to school despite having to backtrack.

A little buddy who {surprisingly} still naps after lunch affording me time to nap as well.

A cloudy, wet day inspiring rest and quietude.

A thoughtful mother-in-law who offered to pick-up my school boy.

An afternoon cup of tea with fresh lemon.

Sweet baby kicks that remind me of why physical exhaustion can be very precious.

Scrubbed and Shined

Have you heard the story of the very pregnant woman who possessed such a compelling urge to nest that she cleaned her oven with a toothbrush until it was pristine only to go into labor a few hours later?

Well, that was me this morning... except it wasn't the oven, it was the refrigerator... and I only thought about using a toothbrush... and {so far} I'm not in labor, just exhausted. But, my friends, our icebox is cleaner today than it was the day it left the factory and that feels great.

I Dreamed

Last night I dreamed that Baby Sister arrived. I was resting in my bed {at home} after the birth when the professor walked into our room carrying a big, fat, rosy baby girl. "Guess how much she weighs," he said with a grin... "Ten pounds and two ounces!"

He laid her on the bed next to me and I leaned over and kissed her.

Pensive

couch view

These days it seems that I feel sluggish and contemplative more often than not. After lunch I find myself gravitating to the couch {it's bathed so nicely in warm sunlight in the afternoons} where I read with Little Brother and then stretch out to doze like a cat or think about how our foursome that will soon be a fivesome.


Yes, I desperately need to mop floors, vacuum, and cook meals to freeze but such tasks are requiring a three-day pep talk to motivate myself. I wonder, when will I get another burst of nesting energy?

This morning we had beautiful, peaceful snow showers. Because this is the deep south and snow of any sort is a marvel I tried to capture it with the camera through the bedroom window. It was a lot prettier in person.

An afternoon cup of tea with a dose of solitude was a nice pick-me-up today... that and a ginger lemon creme cookie. Yum. Such niceties help carry me through the school carpool line, the flurry of after school snacks, play, and homework, then dinner.

Can you see the fourth item up? Bows! Every little girl should have one.

Yesterday I started placing tiny socks, nightgowns, and sleepers in the baby's chest of drawers. What delight! As I worked my mind started racing, "Oh yeah, we're going to need diapers and wipes... Where are the receiving blankets... Don't forget about baby wash for bathtime... And hooded towels... Do we even own a bottle {no} or pacifier {no}... Baby Sister needs a hat."

Why didn't I think about these things before now? Clearly it's been a while since we've had an infant in the house. I seem to have forgotten about all the little necessities {like Tylenol drops} that we'll want to have on hand... so I started a list. But I'm still feeling kind of spacey about it all. What would you put on your list?

More Clips

Last night after finishing The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, after tucking the boys into bed, I made more colorful clothes pin clips while mindlessly watching reruns of The Office with my feet propped up. {As an aside, Baby Sister is doing quite a number on my legs these day. Varicose veins, support hose, and all... let's just say that I really glad that it's pants season.}

These simple, colorful clips really make me smile. With magnets glued to the back they're perfect for displaying masterpieces and greeting cards...

And, I'm finding that I love having them on hand to clip tags to gifts and to seal bags of goodies. I'm even using them as chip clips.

When not in use, seeing a bowl of them in my laundry room is just nice.

Nursery Inspiration

It's time to change Little Brother's big boy room into a nursery for Baby Sister!

This room doubles as a guest room when needed so the queen sized bed will stay in place. We'll move the bookcase and butterfly chair out and bring in our contemporary styled maple crib along with my grandmother's antique rocking chair. The space will be cramped, to be sure, but I think we can still achieve a light, cheerful atmosphere.

The main source of inspiration for the new room decor comes from the Cathedral Window quilt that the professor's grandmother made for us during our first year of marriage. I've always kept it folded at the foot of the bed but now I plan to use it as the actual bed coverlet.

Taking his cue from the saturated colors used in the quilt the professor suggested that we design the color palette for the room based on the CMYK color model -- cyan, magenta, yellow, and key black, the four inks used in most color prints. Toss out the key black and add in a little bright green and I think we'll be able to create a fun and feminine feel without being overly pastel.

In moving away from the primary colors I'll replace the red bed skirt with a white, tailored one; a pair of beautiful vintage pillow slips from my great, great-aunt will look much more feminine than the current red pillowcases.

These images should give you an idea of the color palette that we have in mind, as well as the overall feel that we're shooting for... kind of a shabby chic meets classic mod look in saturated tones.

For the most part we'll be using what we already have, what we can find, and what we can make to create Baby Sister's room. I would love, love, love to get my hands on enough of the Alexander Girard fabric {top left} to create a stretched canvas wall hanging to go over the bed, but yardage is big, big bucks! I hate to see the current Eames fabric panels leave the room but am confident we can find a home for them somewhere else in the house.

Overall the nursery should be colorful, cheerful, and feminine yet remain in keeping with the simple, mod'ish look found throughout the rest of our home.

Small Steps

Now that treatment has officially ended, my mother's Bard Power Port was removed today. Another step in her cancer journey... each step made with faith that she {we!} are coming closer to the end of this path. While I wouldn't have chosen this painful way for her, or for our family, I can say with all praise and surety that the Father has been present and is at work revealing Himself to us in ways that we would not have seen otherwise.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Empty vases are so forlorn. I cannot let winter and its lack of green stop me from bringing the outdoors inside so yesterday I filled my kitchen with sticks! When we lived in South Carolina there was a magnificent eucalyptus tree that grew across the street from our house in a little school science garden. Sometimes during naptime I would dash across the street with clippers in hand coming home with an armful of fragrant sprigs. The clippings filled empty vases beautifully, dried perfectly, and smelled divine. I miss that tree.

After last week's frenzy I'm learning to take my nesting, cleaning, and beautifying urges in small steps rather than giant, exhausting strides.

This is me {and baby} as of yesterday. Today I am two months and one day away from my April 10 due date. My doctor tells me that I am measuring a little ahead of schedule, a first for me as I am a small person who tends to have small babies. I pre-registered with the hospital today, a small step in bringing us closer to meeting Baby.

This morning I began earnestly working on consolidating the boys' bedrooms. They have been happily bunking together for several weeks but Little Brother's things must be moved and made at home in the bunk bed room. It's no small task... many more small steps to go.

As for nursery plans... well, they're still just plans. My talented interior specialist, the professor, and I have a vision and some work to do. I'll show you our inspirations for the room tomorrow.

And finally, for the little blessing within me whom we can't wait to meet...

Blessings upon you

My baby unborn

Safe in your mother

Asleep and so warm

Sleep must come easy

To those who’re unborn

As the Maker so silently

Fashions your form

Sleep while you can now

So watery and warm

For outside this world

Is a terrible storm

Too soon you’ll discover

The taste of your tears

So sleep now my baby

My loved one, my dear

"Lullaby for the Unborn"

by Michael Card

Nesting, Hatching, and Horton

a light lunch

Last night, at an hour when I should have been sleeping, I was cleaning out and reorganizing my fabric stash and sewing notions. This morning I was a flurry of brushes and rags while valiantly blitzing the house. On days like today I'm thankful that Little Brother can be an amazingly self-satisfied little guy.

After a quick, light lunch {baby seems to be infringing on my stomach capacity} I made one last pass with the vacuum cleaner and settled in on the couch to read aloud with a somewhat neglected but content little boy... his book choice, Horton Hatches the Egg! {Oh, the irony it is not lost on me!}

It wasn't until that moment, when I was sprawled on the sofa with Tukes pointing to my round belly asking, "Is dat da baby's egg, Mommy," that I realized... I'm nesting.

Nesting, it's an invigorating and exhausting place to be.

Horton did indeed hatch the egg and then my little guy went down for a nap. I should have napped too, but my frenzy continued... I added more tasks to the "to do" list, cleaned the kitchen floor, and plopped myself in front of the sewing machine to churn out a few gifts.

Nesting... indeed. Hatching an egg... oh yes. Just don't hatch too soon Little One!

Vintage Day Gowns

Ever so slowly tiny baby things have started creeping into our house again... most recently, a big, beautiful pile of vintage Feltman Brothers cotton day gowns. The professor's sister, while in the process of helping her mother-in-law clean out the old family home, saved them from a certain demise when none of the family members wanted to keep them {gasp!}. With a bit of laundering and some mending they'll be ready and waiting for our spring arrival.

Bump!

Bunk Beds

Before I can start thinking about baby's room a certain fuss must be made over two little men who are about to become roommates. This weekend the bunk beds went up. There was much excitement.

Peaceful Winter Morning

Baby kicks and hungry tummy rumbles drove me from the warmth of my bed quite early. While my men continued to hibernate I sat in the morning winter light and read. I savored the softness and quietude.

Pondering Rice Pudding

I've been thinking about dessert all day, and rightfully so I'd say, after choking down a serving of glucola and enduring an arm-bruising blood draw at the doctor's office this morning. {By the way, I did pass my glucose tolerance test. Phew!}

When we were bashing around New York a few weeks ago the professor and I happened upon a place one evening that totally intrigued us. By appearance we thought it was an ice cream parlor, but the name says it all. Y'all, Rice to Riches is a storefront that sells rice pudding... only rice pudding. This boggles my mind. Can a place in NYC really make it simply by selling different flavors of sweet, creamy rice? Apparently so. Is rice pudding really that good? I guess it is.

If we hadn't just stuffed ourselves with pizza at Lombardi's we would've stepped right in and sampled rice pudding, but alas we were full, very full. Believe it or not, I've never had rice pudding. Never. So, tomorrow I'm planning to stir some together for us to enjoy as we usher in the New Year.

Half-Baked

A half-baked idea is okayas long as it's in the oven.Author Unknown

I've got the first half of this pregnancy under my belt now... {literally}. I guess you could say the baby is half-baked. Here's the baby bump so far... I know, I'm kind of a late bloomer.

What else is half-baked? Well, earlier this week Tukes asked me, "How wong are we gonna keep dat baby?" Hmmm, I'd say his new sibling acceptance level is only half-baked. He'll get there.

And the bathrooms, they are certainly half-baked. The master bathroom debacle has escalated into a double bathroom debacle. Between the two rooms we have a single working toilet in one while the other bathroom is home to the only working shower and sink. A corner of my bedroom has become a landing point for such things as a 1980's vanity mirror, clothes hamper, and assorted plant stands while the rest of the house is littered with tiny shreds of dated wallpaper. All in the name of progress my friends.

I suppose we must all be half-baked before we're fully baked but as long as everything is in the oven half-baked is okay.

Pork Ragu...

Or, two ways to enjoy one pork loin.

Night One: Cook your pork loin as desired, making sure it's tender and juicy. Serve with cheese grits and sauteed greens. Some cornbread wouldn't be bad either. This is southern tried, true, and delicious!

Night Two: Shred the leftover pork. Saute chopped onions, garlic, and zucchini in olive oil until tender. Add one can of diced tomatoes and one can of tomato sauce. Stir in a pinch of sugar along with some basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary {or whatever suits your fancy}. Don't forget a splash of red wine if you have it. Add the shredded meat and simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta with a dusting of parmesan. Rosemary focaccia is a very nice compliment for a rustic, homey, and comforting meal.

If you have room for dessert then by all means enjoy Ina Garten's Apple and Pear Crisp. The world will be a deliciously happy place, I promise.

Wow, after nineteen weeks of simply surviving in the kitchen it's nice to be enjoying my food again!

A New Ride

Baby now has an {almost} brand new set of wheels.

Today's thrift store find... $20!

God lovingly reveals Himself to me in His tender way...

By unexpectedly providing a desire of my heart... Priceless!

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.

Psalm 13:6

Remembering and Looking Forward

Baby Boo at six months, nine months, and twelve months.

Baby Tukes at birth, four months, and twelve months.

I spent a lot of time this week fondly remembering... thinking back to when my babies were babies.

We took our first peak at Baby this week. Filled with awe and so in love I've also spent time eagerly looking forward to when this little one will not only fill our hearts, but our arms.

New Brotherhood, January 2006

Yes, there will be adjustments and {many} rough days... this I know.

But, with God's grace we'll figure our way into becoming a family of five...

One of my all time favorite family moments captured with the lens, Spring 2006.

And, find those simple, happy moments wrapped up in our days and nights.


These are the special ones who make my life beautiful...

As beautiful as green leaves bathed in the light of the rising sun.