little nest's nursery: before & after

well, we're in week 36 and the nursery is finally done. we had some strong contractions 3 nights ago that lasted about 30 minutes and then again last night for about 45 minutes. i was fighting some major hot flashes and nasty nausea, too. i just wonder how early this baby girl may come. i'd really like her to hang out in there until at least 37 if not 38 weeks--for her sake--but if she's anything like her brother & sisters, she's stubborn & will want to do things her way. ;) 

but the waiting...it really is no fun at this point. 

is that a contraction? 

am i leaking fluids? 

do i have everything packed that i need?

are we ready for another?

i have to say, having the nursery ready has helped. but now i'm not sure what i should be worrying/obsessing about. i'm sure there's something. oh man, what if i'm forgetting something important. now i'm worried about what i may be forgetting to worry about. i can feel my sanity slipping away.

so this nursery isn't your typical baby girl nursery, i suppose. and when people have asked what we were "doing the nursery in" i really wasn't sure what to say: southwestern modern eclectic? bohemian southwestern with a modern twist?? i don't know-it's just stuff i like. let's start with the room pre-rummage sale...

oh baby. 

how's this for before pics...

yes, that is chairs on top of bunk beds & a log in the middle of the room. funny how quick a room can  get completely out of control. remember, this is the same room that less than a year ago we had ready for foster care. {more on that here.} and well, once we were surprised by baby #4 in october, it become an exceptional storage closet for these past 7-8 months. 

the rummage sale we had last month really helped clear out the room. but then there were still things that needed decided & done. like, for whatever reason, deciding whether to leave the room turquoise or paint it white felt like the biggest decision of my life. i changed my mind so many times that i know i drove hubs crazy. 

final decision: paint the walls white.

so that meant we needed to start patching walls and prepping for paint.

next big question: to keep the twin bed in there or not...

"no, it'll take up too much room."

"yes, it'll be nice to have a spare bed."

well, the whole "why not have an extra bed--for me or anyone else" argument won. we decided to keep it in there...at least for now.

just out of curiosity, is anyone else so ocd about planning/decorating that they make diagrams???

no? okay.

also, that one wasn't even the first one.

ONTO ALL THE AFTER PICS!

little nest's nursery:

baby girl's little mobile i made. i found all of these items in a craft tote i had. i played around with the draping and loved the end result. simple & sweet.

remember the diy yarn hanging i made back in february?? it finally found its' rightful home in the nursery.  

and the black crosses? washi tape. easy to put on. easy to take off. easy to change later. i have so many ideas for the future. also, it gives a cool graphic design to work on developing baby girl's eyes.

this was my great grandma edna's rocking chair. we lived with her when i was first born & her home was my first home. she rocked me in this chair & now i'll rock our baby girl in it. 

see that angel snow globe? big sis kennedy thought baby sister needed it more. i think it was a great addition.

next biggest decision of my life: to keep the current curtains or switch with the white ones in the girls' room. seriously, y'all don't know how often i thought about these things.

remember the yarn-wrapped antlers from grandpa project...also from back in february?? he thought they were fitting considering her name.

oh, did you catch that artwork made by my baby sis? 

i collected all the artwork the kids have done for baby sister & i during the pregnancy & now have it displayed in baby girl's room. i love having that little touch from each of them as part of welcoming her home. 

and yes, i suppose i should share her name now: 

we can't wait to meet baby olive. officially & fully: olive deering. 

we love her so.

sneak peek at baby girl

we had our first 3D ultrasound. i think they were just starting to do it when we were expecting our son 7 years ago. i remember them trying to do one with him but it just looked like a big blob. maybe that's why i wasn't expecting much when she said she was going to do a 3D ultrasound at the end of our 34 week scan. but oh my goodness. that little face that emerged. wow. there's actually a baby in there! God wove her together cell by cell, hair by hair, perfectly. she has kicked as she's grown. she has hiccuped her way through the last couple of months. those little lips and tiny chin. that sweet nose and chubby cheeks. oh my heart. i haven't stopped staring at the pics since yesterday. 

there she is. 

our number 4.

who are you? 

who will you be? 

what spot will you fill in our family?

another sweet girl

a sister

a friend

making us six, will you be the end?

baby girl gets a sprinkle

anyone else not sure where the weekend went? it seems like such a blur. actually every weekend since february has felt like that. we're down to 5 weeks now & the pregnancy has seemed to fly by...until now. it's just at that point--ya know, the point where you get up every 2 hours to pee, suddenly feel like you're starving at 4 a.m., wake up & try with all your might to roll over because your leg...and arm...have fallen asleep--yeah, the last 5-6 weeks are going to creep by. i'm trying to think of this positively. maybe i'll feel like i have more time to get stuff done?? maybe i'll actually get stuff done! we did, in fact, get the crib:

with it being all of 6 weeks left, i was really feeling the pressure to get the crib, at least. so last week i called my mom & thankfully she was able to run to ikea with me & get it. (the nearest ikea is in cincy-about 2 1/5 hours away.) we get there. we're excited. we get to the baby section. i see the crib. i admire the crib. i look at the tag on the crib. i read "over sold" on the tag. i stand in disbelief. i read the tag again. i look at my mom. and i read said tag aloud to her. and i am heartbroken. this is all my fault. i should have called ahead or something. after the initial shock, i decide i'll buy a different one-or maybe the same one in a different color. i hang my head and continue the next 2 hours through the store. when we get to the pick up area, i decide to play coy & ask where to find "my" crib. after the high of the first associate telling me, "oh, it's right over there" only to realize it was the wrong thing, i was hesitant to ask again...but i did...i'm stubborn like my grandma. and after asking 2 more associates who steered me wrong, i was about to give up when...THERE IT WAS. heavy & awkward shaped & mine.  thank you, Jesus, my baby will have her crib!

so now, we need to paint. the baby's room, that is. we've never had an actual room designated for a  "nursery" before which is kind of fun & daunting. i'm pretty sure i'm thinking too much or too hard about this. "white curtains or colored curtains?" "paint the shelf or not paint the shelf?" "big rug or small rugs?" "yeah, probably white curtains, maybe." i know i have drove hubs crazy with all my pinterest pics. but with this baby maybe being our last (4 just sounds like a good number right now), it's been nice to have a chance to do this our way. 

alright, this weekend, we also (finally) had a shower for baby girl...or a sprinkle as they call it when you keep having babies. i know, i know, "when will they stop?!" i don't know & don't ask my husband...he'd have 20 & a tv deal. but the sprinkle/shower...that's been another circus. we weren't having one. we were having one. we were having two, no three, no just the one. then it seemed like every weekend from then until due date were already booked. but we did, in fact, have one & the sweet ladies at our church made me all kinds of yummy gluten free food (AND BOUGHT ME DIAPERS & WIPES-i love my peeps!) & my mom and sisters made so many beautiful decorations...we were blessed. over the next hour at home, we read all the cards with blessings, prayers and verses written for us & sorted through all of her clothes (wow, her closet is packed) & put away all the handmade quilts and blankets (one of my favorite gifts) & "oooh'd" and awww'd" over all the tiny shoes (such an unnecessary necessity). 

give me a couple of weeks and we should be closer to having this baby girl's room put together & i'll share all the pics. of course, we'll also be a couple of weeks closer to actually having baby girl but we'll not think about that. 

p.s. i started having contractions last sunday, so i thought i should probably pack my hospital bag, and baby's bag, and make a list of stuff i/hubs will need to bring...sooo i do feel a little more prepared at this point. 

...prepared/anxious/excited/anxious.

{the girl's team is growing!}

 

{thank you mom!}

baby blessings:

"I will praise you,

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Psalm 139:14

"I prayed for this child, 

and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him, 

so now I give him to the Lord. 

For his whole life will be given over to the Lord."

1 Samuel 1:27-28