This has been the mantra ruling my every free second since sometime last year. Getting the clothes organized, the closets organized, the finances organized. Organizing the grocery list, the library books, the social calendar, the traveling details. Saving receipts, clipping coupons, sending out bills.
Always in front of me there is this vision of my life completely organized. I sit at my cleared off kitchen table, drinking home-brewed iced tea, wearing clothes that fit well on the body I got from working out every day while my kids take synchronized naps, while the healthy made-from-scratch dinner bakes in the oven. All the projects are done, every inch of the house painted, swept, disinfected, steam-cleaned, pressed. I type the correct number of words allotted for that day, moving forward in a perfectly straight line toward the ultimate goal of my completed book.
I never spend more than I have to, I never waste time with indecision, never turn back once I've gone down a road, because I always choose the right road the first time. My hair is cut and my nails are polished and I remember everything I'm supposed to do this weekend.
Then the vision fades, and I am appalled by this person living in my house, this flighty, unfocused person who wanders the apartment retrieving socks and scribbling lines of plot onto old envelopes. The person who changes main characters and voice mid-novel. The person who, after feeling nauseous and tired for a couple of days, begins to agonize over the dreaded possibility of an unlooked-for pregnancy, and then, in the same day prays sincerely but futilely for the second line to appear, because salvation lies in the second line. She goes to the store in desperate need and then wanders around trying to remember why she came.
This person is unrecognizable to me, because inside I am a little girl who went to fairs and guessed the number of marbles in the jar, and put my name in hats, and never worried that I wouldn't win - such a thought was inconceivable! I always won. I believed in my own worthiness the way I believed in the infallibility of my family, the way I am tempted now to view the perfection of my children.
I am, in short, so disorganized that I'm not sure now whether the Good Things are a result of some hidden wealth of potential, or that self-centered, entitled bravado, or, most likely, the gifts of a benevolent God who pities my naivety. It is said, God won't give you more than you can handle, and I must be weak indeed for the charmed life I've led.
At the end of the year now, as I make lists and check off boxes and count the cutlery, I am determined to put aside these things sometimes, to stop and think about something deeper, more mysterious than the perfection I crave.
My friend died recently, an old friend. She did not go to the gym; she didn't wear makeup. The wallpaper in her hallway was torn and only some of her children are doctors and professors, only some are married :) She had things in order. Before she got sick, I decided to let go of some of the clutter, ever pursuing that simplified life. I threw out close to 27 birthday cards from this friend. Year after year, she'd taken the time to send me a card. Sometimes she wrote out a verse in her neat little script, sometimes a five or ten dollar bill would fall from the card, neatly folded in two by her honest hands. She never flattered, but sincerely encouraged, using all she had she pushed grace and kindness outward and it rained down on everyone she knew.
I know when I think of my friend, that no amount of planning and working can make me into a woman like her. There is no time to wait until all the dishes are done to develop spiritually. I know I need to invite others into my home even if my ego won't be stroked by them complimenting it. I know I need to go to parties and showers and dinners even though I feel like hiding my disorganized self away in the dark. It is time, my friends, to get the priorities straight.
Showing posts with label momming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label momming. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Friday, April 22, 2011
Why Does My Baby Need His Own Blog?
I got some books on homeschooling from my local library and have been devouring them like cans of diet coke. I know it's early to be thinking about Henry going to school, but when you think about it, we are sort of home schooling right now anyway. With babies, almost everything they do is about learning. When Henry plays with toys, or the vacuum cleaner, or a Brita filter he finds under the sink (for a whole week), it's really all just education for him.
So in most of the homeschooling books they talk about how to document your learning, and many kids who are homeschooled create journals or "lapbooks" about the different subjects they study. This way they have a record of their achievements and can look back at them later for reference. Well I started thinking. How can I keep a record of Henry's educational development for reference and for my own sentimental reasons without creating more clutter? A Henry blog, of course. This way I can keep track of all the things that only a mother really cares about and still keep my personal blog for reflecting on other areas of my life.
So here it is, Henry's Learning Blog.
I hope to use it now to keep track of milestones, and later to plan out how to educate him more formally, then someday as a place for Henry to add his own acquired knowledge.
So in most of the homeschooling books they talk about how to document your learning, and many kids who are homeschooled create journals or "lapbooks" about the different subjects they study. This way they have a record of their achievements and can look back at them later for reference. Well I started thinking. How can I keep a record of Henry's educational development for reference and for my own sentimental reasons without creating more clutter? A Henry blog, of course. This way I can keep track of all the things that only a mother really cares about and still keep my personal blog for reflecting on other areas of my life.
So here it is, Henry's Learning Blog.
I hope to use it now to keep track of milestones, and later to plan out how to educate him more formally, then someday as a place for Henry to add his own acquired knowledge.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Staying the course
I knew that staying at home with Henry would be hard. My husband commutes 2 hours each way to work. He often leaves before I wake up and comes home after 7 at night. Typically, my day is so busy that I don't have time to miss him or feel lonely. But with these relentless snow storms we've been having lately, I've been stuck inside with only Henry to talk to, and I'm starting to go a little stir crazy.
There have been plenty of times in my life when I've had to do something hard, (in the sense of "hard work", not necessarily hard compared to other people's lives). Getting through law school pregnant and with an infant, then taking the bar was one of the greatest challenges I've ever faced. But those tasks had a goal; there was an end in sight and a way to mark the achievement. There was a graduation party, a definite pay off when I got that letter in the mail, a conclusion that showed me that all my hard work was not in vain.
The rewards of being a mom, (and the rewards are great), are not nearly so easy to define. The goal you're working toward is not one that you can really grasp in a definite way. Of course, we all have dreams for our children, but what they really mean, how they will play out for one individual child is much harder to articulate. There is no pass/fail in mothering.
There is also much less encouragement in the form of respect and support for mothers. Maybe it's because everyone has a mother, what we do is in some ways 'nothing special', maybe it's because as women we are expected to nurture easily, without effort or help. We are expected to cherish the role and enjoy our children. And we do. We love their spirits, and we would do anything for them. But that doesn't mean that the daily grind of dishes, laundry, diapers, food, and mopping the same sticky spots off of the same floor doesn't wear us down. It would be nice for once to get the same look of respect, the same warmth of admiration when I say 'mom', as I do when I say 'lawyer'. Not that our self-worth is defined by the esteem of others. And yet sometimes just a drop of genuine appreciation can fuel us for so long...
The hardest part for me right now is not how others see me, or not knowing whether I am doing a good job. It is the time frame. Most difficult tasks in my life have lasted a few months or a few years. Being a mother is, like being a wife, a life-long pursuit. In this light it might seem that being a mother is a relationship, not a job to be accomplished, so why view it this way in the first place? Why not just sit back and enjoy life?
Any mother can tell you why. The responsibility goes far beyond wiping hands or learning the alphabet. The axiom "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world" is as true as any I've heard. Certainly, individual acts we take as mothers can have a powerful impact on our children and therefore on the world. But it is not one or even a series of isolated incidents that define our children. We are in it for the long haul, and every day counts.
It's much like staying healthy or anything else that requires daily practice and effort, except that parenting cannot fall back on habit the way these other areas might. Each day brings new challenges, each child is different. What was working fine yesterday may need to change to adapt to today's problems. In some ways, the constant call for creativity actually serves to break up the monotony of the mundane tasks involved in caring for another human being.
Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
UPDATE: Since writing this post, the snow has closed down the courthouse in Jersey City! This means that Greg came home at 10am, and let me sleep for two hours to catch up after a rough first part of the week. The bad news is that our car was towed in the middle of the night last night so they could plow (no lan line = no warning), but I don't even care, I'm just so happy to get a little break!
There have been plenty of times in my life when I've had to do something hard, (in the sense of "hard work", not necessarily hard compared to other people's lives). Getting through law school pregnant and with an infant, then taking the bar was one of the greatest challenges I've ever faced. But those tasks had a goal; there was an end in sight and a way to mark the achievement. There was a graduation party, a definite pay off when I got that letter in the mail, a conclusion that showed me that all my hard work was not in vain.
The rewards of being a mom, (and the rewards are great), are not nearly so easy to define. The goal you're working toward is not one that you can really grasp in a definite way. Of course, we all have dreams for our children, but what they really mean, how they will play out for one individual child is much harder to articulate. There is no pass/fail in mothering.
There is also much less encouragement in the form of respect and support for mothers. Maybe it's because everyone has a mother, what we do is in some ways 'nothing special', maybe it's because as women we are expected to nurture easily, without effort or help. We are expected to cherish the role and enjoy our children. And we do. We love their spirits, and we would do anything for them. But that doesn't mean that the daily grind of dishes, laundry, diapers, food, and mopping the same sticky spots off of the same floor doesn't wear us down. It would be nice for once to get the same look of respect, the same warmth of admiration when I say 'mom', as I do when I say 'lawyer'. Not that our self-worth is defined by the esteem of others. And yet sometimes just a drop of genuine appreciation can fuel us for so long...
The hardest part for me right now is not how others see me, or not knowing whether I am doing a good job. It is the time frame. Most difficult tasks in my life have lasted a few months or a few years. Being a mother is, like being a wife, a life-long pursuit. In this light it might seem that being a mother is a relationship, not a job to be accomplished, so why view it this way in the first place? Why not just sit back and enjoy life?
Any mother can tell you why. The responsibility goes far beyond wiping hands or learning the alphabet. The axiom "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world" is as true as any I've heard. Certainly, individual acts we take as mothers can have a powerful impact on our children and therefore on the world. But it is not one or even a series of isolated incidents that define our children. We are in it for the long haul, and every day counts.
It's much like staying healthy or anything else that requires daily practice and effort, except that parenting cannot fall back on habit the way these other areas might. Each day brings new challenges, each child is different. What was working fine yesterday may need to change to adapt to today's problems. In some ways, the constant call for creativity actually serves to break up the monotony of the mundane tasks involved in caring for another human being.
Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
UPDATE: Since writing this post, the snow has closed down the courthouse in Jersey City! This means that Greg came home at 10am, and let me sleep for two hours to catch up after a rough first part of the week. The bad news is that our car was towed in the middle of the night last night so they could plow (no lan line = no warning), but I don't even care, I'm just so happy to get a little break!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Interesting Article on Motherhood
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704608104575220550194193596.html?mod=wsj_share_facebook
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Public Breastfeeding
As some of you may know, I stopped breastfeeding Henry almost a month ago. I loved the experience of breastfeeding and had originally intended to continue for a year at least. Unfortunately I was one of those rare women who actually had a supply problem, not to mention the difficulty of pumping on a schedule with a two-hour train commute to school. I'm hoping that the next time it will work out better.
Even though I'm no longer feeding with the breast, the topic is still interesting to me, especially since it seems to be so heated among moms. Whether to do it or not, how long to do it, and now where to do it all of a sudden seem to be these huge controversies.
Here is a post I read today and my response, which hasn't been published yet.
This is a post for Christian mothers or parents. Ever since I had a child I have become more aware of what has been going on in the "motherhood" community. I've learned a lot of wonderful things concerning cloth diapering, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, homeschooling, and many other things. However, I've also come across a lot of different things that sort of incense me. Perhaps you have noticed as well and agree with me. Perhaps you don't agree with me. But I've been thinking a lot lately on a specific subject and since I am able to speak my mind on my blog, I'm going to. I want to talk about nursing in public. It is such a hot topic now days because of the controversy. I believe breastfeeding is the best way to nourish your child. I believe God created our bodies so that we could take care of our children the best way we can. I am all for spreading awareness and all for it becoming more accepted. I am not, however, all for women doing so in public with no discretion whatsoever. This to me is not an issue of Rights. It is an issue of Modesty, and an issue of God's Standards. When I recently shared my views about nursing in public discretely, I was told that just because I was comfortable nursing "modestly" did not mean everyone else had to. I was told that my "standard" of modesty was not the same as others and should not be held to others. I was absolutely flabbergasted, because I had stated that as a Christian, I could not justify nursing in public and being immodest in so doing. It isn't My standard. It's God's standard. My standard of modesty means nothing if it isn't aligned with God's standards. God's standards are perfect and all are subject to them. I know that this is sometimes debated, whether those who aren't Christians are held to the same standards, but consider the book of Jonah. Jonah was sent by God to Nineveh to preach to them and call them to repent or God would destroy the nation. This nation was not a nation which followed God. They worshiped their own gods and all in all they were extremely immoral. And yet God held them to His standards, even if they did not worship Him. Just because they worshiped some other gods did not make them immune to the God of Heaven's standards. God's standards encompass all. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says we will ALL stand at the judgment seat of Christ. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Consider this passage concerning God's standards for us women: To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Titus 2:5 We are to be discreet, which means to show good judgment, and chaste, which means to be morally pure in thought and act - also meaning modest. While I do support breastfeeding and stand behind any woman who chooses to nourish her child in this way, I do believe that God's standards even encompass nursing mothers and we should all make sure we are doing so in a manner that is pleasing to God. So many people also say that it is impossible to modestly nurse a child in public, but I disagree. I nursed Benjamin for a little over 12 months (he's just been weened this week - which is very emotional for me so I'm not going to talk about that) and I have never flashed anyone while doing so! And Benjamin is even one of those children who won't keep a blanket over him. It's possible, with practice. Next time you start getting worked up about your "rights" as a nursing mother, think about God's standards and whether or not your "rights" fall under His standards. As I usually say when posting a 'spiritual post', you might not agree with me. But this is what I believe.
My response:
I agree that modesty is something that God desires for men and women. I think the problem that some might have with this is that modesty has been and always will be defined by culture. In this case, when you talk about God's standards what you are really saying is our society's cultural standards for what is modest. Even today in the US there are subcultures of society where modesty can mean keeping your wrists covered, covering your hair, not wearing pants (for women), or just wearing a one-piece swimsuit to the beach. In some parts of the world it would be immodest to have any part of your legs exposed, but being totally topless is considered normal.
Personally I was never comfortable enough to breastfeed in public and was even uncomfortable when people visited me during feedings in the hospital! That said, I think that if some women feel comfortable breastfeeding in public, even without a blanket over the child's head, then it doesn't necessarily imply that they are rebelling against God's command to be modest. Perhaps these women even want to change the societal standard for modesty so that their public breastfeeding is accepted and eventually ignored. I guess I just don't see why this is a spiritual issue.
There are many issues debated today that I think God has given us clear commands about, I just don't think this is one of them. If you believe God wants you to cover up, then certainly cover up! But we have to be careful about judging the motives of other women, especially when generalizing. For example, I came to a place where I knew the Lord wanted me to stop taking the pill. I don't think birth control is wrong at all, I was on it for the first year and a half of my marriage, and I don't have any problem with anyone else who chooses to be on it. However I knew for sure that the Lord wanted me to stop, and because I obeyed that command I now have a beautiful son.
I think sin is more than just a laundry list of rules we extract from the Bible. It is also about listening and obeying the Holy Spirit and following God's will for our lives. I constantly have to remind myself that His will for me is not always the same as His will for another woman.
Even though I'm no longer feeding with the breast, the topic is still interesting to me, especially since it seems to be so heated among moms. Whether to do it or not, how long to do it, and now where to do it all of a sudden seem to be these huge controversies.
Here is a post I read today and my response, which hasn't been published yet.
This is a post for Christian mothers or parents. Ever since I had a child I have become more aware of what has been going on in the "motherhood" community. I've learned a lot of wonderful things concerning cloth diapering, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, homeschooling, and many other things. However, I've also come across a lot of different things that sort of incense me. Perhaps you have noticed as well and agree with me. Perhaps you don't agree with me. But I've been thinking a lot lately on a specific subject and since I am able to speak my mind on my blog, I'm going to. I want to talk about nursing in public. It is such a hot topic now days because of the controversy. I believe breastfeeding is the best way to nourish your child. I believe God created our bodies so that we could take care of our children the best way we can. I am all for spreading awareness and all for it becoming more accepted. I am not, however, all for women doing so in public with no discretion whatsoever. This to me is not an issue of Rights. It is an issue of Modesty, and an issue of God's Standards. When I recently shared my views about nursing in public discretely, I was told that just because I was comfortable nursing "modestly" did not mean everyone else had to. I was told that my "standard" of modesty was not the same as others and should not be held to others. I was absolutely flabbergasted, because I had stated that as a Christian, I could not justify nursing in public and being immodest in so doing. It isn't My standard. It's God's standard. My standard of modesty means nothing if it isn't aligned with God's standards. God's standards are perfect and all are subject to them. I know that this is sometimes debated, whether those who aren't Christians are held to the same standards, but consider the book of Jonah. Jonah was sent by God to Nineveh to preach to them and call them to repent or God would destroy the nation. This nation was not a nation which followed God. They worshiped their own gods and all in all they were extremely immoral. And yet God held them to His standards, even if they did not worship Him. Just because they worshiped some other gods did not make them immune to the God of Heaven's standards. God's standards encompass all. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says we will ALL stand at the judgment seat of Christ. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Consider this passage concerning God's standards for us women: To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Titus 2:5 We are to be discreet, which means to show good judgment, and chaste, which means to be morally pure in thought and act - also meaning modest. While I do support breastfeeding and stand behind any woman who chooses to nourish her child in this way, I do believe that God's standards even encompass nursing mothers and we should all make sure we are doing so in a manner that is pleasing to God. So many people also say that it is impossible to modestly nurse a child in public, but I disagree. I nursed Benjamin for a little over 12 months (he's just been weened this week - which is very emotional for me so I'm not going to talk about that) and I have never flashed anyone while doing so! And Benjamin is even one of those children who won't keep a blanket over him. It's possible, with practice. Next time you start getting worked up about your "rights" as a nursing mother, think about God's standards and whether or not your "rights" fall under His standards. As I usually say when posting a 'spiritual post', you might not agree with me. But this is what I believe.
My response:
I agree that modesty is something that God desires for men and women. I think the problem that some might have with this is that modesty has been and always will be defined by culture. In this case, when you talk about God's standards what you are really saying is our society's cultural standards for what is modest. Even today in the US there are subcultures of society where modesty can mean keeping your wrists covered, covering your hair, not wearing pants (for women), or just wearing a one-piece swimsuit to the beach. In some parts of the world it would be immodest to have any part of your legs exposed, but being totally topless is considered normal.
Personally I was never comfortable enough to breastfeed in public and was even uncomfortable when people visited me during feedings in the hospital! That said, I think that if some women feel comfortable breastfeeding in public, even without a blanket over the child's head, then it doesn't necessarily imply that they are rebelling against God's command to be modest. Perhaps these women even want to change the societal standard for modesty so that their public breastfeeding is accepted and eventually ignored. I guess I just don't see why this is a spiritual issue.
There are many issues debated today that I think God has given us clear commands about, I just don't think this is one of them. If you believe God wants you to cover up, then certainly cover up! But we have to be careful about judging the motives of other women, especially when generalizing. For example, I came to a place where I knew the Lord wanted me to stop taking the pill. I don't think birth control is wrong at all, I was on it for the first year and a half of my marriage, and I don't have any problem with anyone else who chooses to be on it. However I knew for sure that the Lord wanted me to stop, and because I obeyed that command I now have a beautiful son.
I think sin is more than just a laundry list of rules we extract from the Bible. It is also about listening and obeying the Holy Spirit and following God's will for our lives. I constantly have to remind myself that His will for me is not always the same as His will for another woman.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Perfect Excuse
I recommend that every one get a C-section at least once a year. It's the closest thing to a perfect excuse you can get, except maybe, "I died". Which you can't really use as an excuse. That falls more into the reason category. What better answer can you give when someone asks why you didn't do what you were supposed to do?
"Did you get my important email?"
"No, sorry, I was in the hospital."
"Did you listen to those lectures online?"
"Oh, I didn't get a chance, sorry, I was paralyzed from the armpits down."
"You're all caught up on the reading, right?"
"Actually, I couldn't even go to the bathroom by myself, but I'll get right on it now."
It's the perfect excuse, or so I thought. But unfortunately, I go to lawschool. So when I pulled out my perfect excuse, all I got was:
"You mean they don't have wireless at the hospital?"
Sheesh.
"Did you get my important email?"
"No, sorry, I was in the hospital."
"Did you listen to those lectures online?"
"Oh, I didn't get a chance, sorry, I was paralyzed from the armpits down."
"You're all caught up on the reading, right?"
"Actually, I couldn't even go to the bathroom by myself, but I'll get right on it now."
It's the perfect excuse, or so I thought. But unfortunately, I go to lawschool. So when I pulled out my perfect excuse, all I got was:
"You mean they don't have wireless at the hospital?"
Sheesh.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Hot Daddy
This past week has, as you can imagine, changed my perspective in a lot of ways. But there is one new feeling I didn't expect.
When I first got to know my husband in college, I thought he was adorable. I was also attracted to the things about him that might have been less obvious to the world. His nerdy sense of humor, his good-natured social skills, and his very open and willing heart for the Lord. Through the glasses, math major, awkwardly going out on a limb to connect attitude, and ready understanding of Star Wars jokes, I saw a man that I knew I could live with. As time went on, he became the man I couldn't live without.
That said, I never knew how truly, incredibly, hot my husband was until this week. An emergency C-section left me unable to do as much for the baby as I had anticipated, and Greg stepped right up and took over diaper changing, swaddling, washing and soothing Henry when I couldn't. He also helped me get into the shower, got me food when I was hungry, and managed to entertain the hoards of visitors so that I could rest.
Then just last night I heard the baby cry in his crib. I rushed in because it wasn't the usual time for him to be up, and something didn't seem right. I found my little guy with spit-up coming from his mouth and nose. He was struggling to cry and choking. Greg was right behind me and grabbed him and told me where to find the sucky syringe thingy. I ran as fast as my post-op body would allow and frantically searched. I finally found one and raced back to the nursery. When I got to the door, I saw what at first seemed like Greg giving Henry little kisses on his face. Then I realized, he was sucking the vomit out of his airways and spitting it out into a baby wipe.
Now I'm pretty sure most women would not put vomit-sucking at the top of the list for turn-ons. Maybe it's just because I'm so crazy about this baby, or maybe it's because Greg seems like such a rare bird in a society that seems full of dead-beats.
But all I know is, there is nothing sexier than a good daddy.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
A Rose....
Why can't I settle on a name? I guess it doesn't matter really in the end, but I don't have much else to think about at this point...
My biggest fear is that I'll have to have a C-section or will just have such a bad delivery that I'll be really out of it and Greg will end up filling out the birth certificate while I'm in a drugged-up stupor. It wouldn't be so scary if his top name wasn't Rex...
I'm pretty much torn between Henry and James. Very boring by most people's standards but you know. If Henry then Hank, which I like, if James then... Jimmy? Jimbo? Bo? That I like. Nicknames that suggest we live in a trailer park.
My biggest fear is that I'll have to have a C-section or will just have such a bad delivery that I'll be really out of it and Greg will end up filling out the birth certificate while I'm in a drugged-up stupor. It wouldn't be so scary if his top name wasn't Rex...
I'm pretty much torn between Henry and James. Very boring by most people's standards but you know. If Henry then Hank, which I like, if James then... Jimmy? Jimbo? Bo? That I like. Nicknames that suggest we live in a trailer park.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I knew it.
How did I know that this one wouldn't come until after his due date?
I don't know, I guess I just had a feeling...
This last month has been crazy busy. I stopped doing research for the professor I was working for, which freed up a little time to do everything else. We had our 4th and final baby shower, at which we were given absolutely everything a baby could need or want.
We also had a Halloween party, which was a lot of fun. Greg dressed as Crocodile Dundee and I made a kangaroo costume complete with baby kangaroo head coming out of my pouch. No need for a body, of course.
I've been frantically cleaning, doing homework, washing baby stuff, etc. And now, waiting. I've read all the books cover to cover, organized the closet, done my reading for class for the next couple of weeks, narrowed down the names to just a couple. All I need now is the baby!
I don't know, I guess I just had a feeling...
This last month has been crazy busy. I stopped doing research for the professor I was working for, which freed up a little time to do everything else. We had our 4th and final baby shower, at which we were given absolutely everything a baby could need or want.
We also had a Halloween party, which was a lot of fun. Greg dressed as Crocodile Dundee and I made a kangaroo costume complete with baby kangaroo head coming out of my pouch. No need for a body, of course.
I've been frantically cleaning, doing homework, washing baby stuff, etc. And now, waiting. I've read all the books cover to cover, organized the closet, done my reading for class for the next couple of weeks, narrowed down the names to just a couple. All I need now is the baby!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Boy Nursery Ideas
I made a registry at BabiesRUs, which was probably one of the funnest things ever! I've just been fantasizing about that nursery ever since I saw BabyByrd's boy parts! My three main ideas were:
1) Sock Monkeys! - specifically, dark wood furniture, red and cream walls, and cute sock monkey bedding. Very retro feeling. Another pro: it matches the brown/red carseat, highchair, packinplay, and stroller I registered for. My down side was that all the baby stuff that is required would just clash and look really weird. There's no way I could be that clean and organized to hide all of those rainbow-colored bouncy seats and exersaucers. Also this bedding is a little out of my price range, and the fabric is also pricy, even if I had the time to sew my own bedding. Additionally, someone informed me that "sock monkey" is a racial slur. Were they just pulling my leg?
2) Blue and Orange/Goldfish in Bags - I got this idea from a blanket I bought on etsy. It has that Heather Ross fabric with the little bags of goldfish. From there I thought I could just do a very light, clean blue and a sort of rusty but not too bright orange. This was Greg's favorite idea. He said fish are macho! My problem: too much of a committment. I never liked orange, so even though this is really cute, I'd probably have to live with at least one orange wall for longer than I'd want to.
3) Barn Dance - This is not so much an idea, as me just being too lazy/uncreative to come up with a unique theme and instead to register for a crib set and accessories like everyone else. However, the set is really cute and different. It's not pastel or super-babyish. And I think I could do a lot with the farm/barn theme for a little boy's room too. Also, it's not so monochromatic that it would look terrible when littered with atrociously colored toys. But also not so cheesy that it couldn't be classy when cleaned up. The down side: Someone else might have it!
** Update: **
We eventually went with the sock monkeys! My Dad painted the nursery walls a deep red on top, and wide tan and cream stripes on the bottom and added white chair rail to match the rest of the trim. I registered for bright red sheets and changing pad covers.
I found this adorable sock monkey fabric for a reasonable price on ebay, and stitched up some valances and a bumper, with a coordinating dust ruffle. I'm planning on making a matching blanket for Henry as soon as I can find the time!
I also found some little knock-off paintings similar to the ones in the picture above on ebay, and will hang them soon. For the guest bed I bought dark brown bamboo sheets, a plain white quilt and shams, and a brown and red throw pillows at Target. The light bed really brightens up an otherwise dark room.
1) Sock Monkeys! - specifically, dark wood furniture, red and cream walls, and cute sock monkey bedding. Very retro feeling. Another pro: it matches the brown/red carseat, highchair, packinplay, and stroller I registered for. My down side was that all the baby stuff that is required would just clash and look really weird. There's no way I could be that clean and organized to hide all of those rainbow-colored bouncy seats and exersaucers. Also this bedding is a little out of my price range, and the fabric is also pricy, even if I had the time to sew my own bedding. Additionally, someone informed me that "sock monkey" is a racial slur. Were they just pulling my leg?
2) Blue and Orange/Goldfish in Bags - I got this idea from a blanket I bought on etsy. It has that Heather Ross fabric with the little bags of goldfish. From there I thought I could just do a very light, clean blue and a sort of rusty but not too bright orange. This was Greg's favorite idea. He said fish are macho! My problem: too much of a committment. I never liked orange, so even though this is really cute, I'd probably have to live with at least one orange wall for longer than I'd want to.
3) Barn Dance - This is not so much an idea, as me just being too lazy/uncreative to come up with a unique theme and instead to register for a crib set and accessories like everyone else. However, the set is really cute and different. It's not pastel or super-babyish. And I think I could do a lot with the farm/barn theme for a little boy's room too. Also, it's not so monochromatic that it would look terrible when littered with atrociously colored toys. But also not so cheesy that it couldn't be classy when cleaned up. The down side: Someone else might have it!
** Update: **
We eventually went with the sock monkeys! My Dad painted the nursery walls a deep red on top, and wide tan and cream stripes on the bottom and added white chair rail to match the rest of the trim. I registered for bright red sheets and changing pad covers.
I found this adorable sock monkey fabric for a reasonable price on ebay, and stitched up some valances and a bumper, with a coordinating dust ruffle. I'm planning on making a matching blanket for Henry as soon as I can find the time!
I also found some little knock-off paintings similar to the ones in the picture above on ebay, and will hang them soon. For the guest bed I bought dark brown bamboo sheets, a plain white quilt and shams, and a brown and red throw pillows at Target. The light bed really brightens up an otherwise dark room.
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