Ready to save a butt load of money!

Yes, that's the title of this blog post.  For two reasons.  

1)  I am classy.  C-L-A-S-S-Y.

2)  We are going to save a butt load.  Literally. 

That's right.  Because diapers are expennnnnnnnnsive.  Seriously.  One week of diapers is around $25. <shocked emoticon>.  Also now our "Recycle, Save the Planet" diaper bag will no longer be so ironic.

And here is the tot herself, donning her first reusable!

Awww...  so cute.  In other baby related news, Miss Mili had her two month check up today.  She was two months on the 20th.  She is now 10 lbs 10 oz and 23 and 3/4" long!  That's in the 50th percentile in weight and the 90th percentile in height.  

And that yellow mess in the background? Why that is the mobile  wind sock chandelier from our wedding.  I'm planning to hang it from the ceiling, perhaps trim it up a bit.  Perhaps hang it from her light fixture for some extra special fanciness.  Because we Grishams are nothing if not fancy people. 

Finally speaking of weddings and fancy people, congratulations to Ashley McClure and Vilert Loving on tying the knot!  And special congratulations for being able to legitimately say "Who me?  Yes, I married Doctor Loving."  

How jealous are you of that name?  Admit it.  So jealous. 

Here she is!

Amelia Jolean Grisham, born May 20, 2011 at 5:57 p.m. weighing 7 lbs and 21" long!

Some crafting in Mili's room today

A short update!  I've been resting in the recliner chair a lot yesterday and today and whipped up two little projects for Mili's room.  Initially, I'd planned on making a garland that went from each corner of the room to the ceiling light, but after sewing said garland to a blanket and then my recliner, I decided less is more.

 

Ta da!  And up close...  I got this pattern from a fellow blogger on-line but I can't seem to remember where exactly.  I'll have to post it when I figure that out.  

And then if we zoom out, we can see the lovely, lovely electrical box in the room.  It's my fave.

 

 See how it just ties the whole room together?  ...No?  I've been planning on covering it up, but it is hard to find something near those dimensions that doesn't end up looking like it's taking over the entire room.  So for now... sigh... it's there.

A wide shot

 A quick look around the room...

Just because...

For Caleb and his "Mili Bear"

Finally, not really a craft, per say, but I draped some fabric over the back of the recliner chair to brighten things up!  It's from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern line and happens to be left over from the wedding
(a year ago next Sunday and coincidentally Mili's due date!)

 

Well, that's all for now.  My classmates threw me an awesome impromptu baby shower the last day of class so I'll be sure to showcase some of that loot pretty soon.  Some seriously nice people!

Much love, 

38 Weeks

Well we are now at 38 weeks and some odd days and I am very much a mixed bag of emotions. 

On the one hand, I'm very happy that the due date is fast approaching!  At this point, Miss Mili could arrive at any time.  Last night I dreamed about taking care of Mili.  Putting her down for a nap.  Holding her.  Changing her tiny baby socks.  And she sure was beautiful!  It was probably my first dream about taking care of my baby that wasn't incredibly bizarre.  ...I was pretty grumpy to be woken up from it.  So for those reasons, I'm very excited that I'll soon be holding and cuddling my baby.

On the other hand, I've been sick for more than a week now with a really bad cold.  I'm on cold medicine, an inhaler, and my second antibiotic.  At this point I really worry that I would not have the physical energy for a normal delivery.  The old gimpy lung was even brought up in my doctor's appointment, which is never exciting.   I also lost some weight again this week, which I found to be discouraging.  So really, I would really, really, really like Mili to stay put where she is for another two weeks.  Give myself some time to recover and give her some time to put on some oh-so-cute baby fat.  =)

I have my last final of the semester tomorrow and Caleb's grades are due then as well.  So hopefully we will have some sick free time to recover, relax, nest a little before baby gets here. 

I really love summer time with my husband. 

And now I think I should get to packing that hospital bag...

With this!

Or this!

Or this!

Or this!

I could go on and on.  You know practically it should probably be whatever outfit would be easiest to put on her.  And will keep her warm. 

I think.  I don't really know what to consider in the take home outfit. 

It will be warm, but will baby be cold anyway? 
I have those little mittens for her tiny fists. 

Also how do you put a baby in a car seat that is wearing what is, essentially, a sleep sack?

Suggestions?  

Aesthetically green ruffles and polka dots are always a winner. 

As are monkeys...

and zoo animals...

and hats.  

Progress in Mili's Room

So these pictures are a long time coming.  We've made a lot of additions to the room, including a Mandal bed frame, Hemnes dresser, and the world's most awesome glider.  I'd love to show you a picture of the room as a whole, however I have no photography skills and the room is small, so until Caleb gets home you'll have to make do with a mental picture instead.  But enough talk! 

Time for more blurry pictures!

 

Here is the world's most awesome recliner/glider!  We opted to spend a little  more to get something we could later incorporate into our living room and wouldn't look all "I see you held onto the baby glider."  

We had it shipped to the store (Babies R Us) and I have to admit to being more than a little nervous on the way to pick it up.  I was really wondering if we made the right decision.  Fortunately it looks fantastic in the room!  AND it is INCREDIBLY COMFORTABLE!  Seriously.  Every time I see Caleb sitting in it, I get a little grumpy thinking how I'd like to be sitting in it instead.  Hoorah!

A detail shot of the windowsill, because it is so bright and makes me happy.  The flowers came from Mili's Dallas shower, the piggy bank from Garvan Woodland Gardens (discounted with our membership!), and the alphabet tile box is a handmade gift from Caleb's brother Colton.  Did I mention this corner makes me happy?  Because this corner makes me happy. 

So the crib was originally in our room, but we were able to move it into the nursery since my grandparents gifted us an awesome Pack N Play.  Moving it from one room to another only required taking two doors off their hinges.  Do I have pictures of this process?  No.  Because I'm lame.  Trust me though.  It was legendary. 

Mobile close up.

Embroidery hoops above the bed

The new dresser!  I switched out the standard pulls for some unique ones from Hobby Lobby to the tune of $2 - $3 a pop.  The best thing about this dresser though is that it's sturdy and easily accommodates the changing table + a little dresser top storage.  And speaking of storage, we found that and another storage basket on clearance at Target for $4 each!

And finally... Mili's reading corner.  Eventually we'd like to put up some vertical bookcases or some sort of vertical book storage.  Until then this is really accessible for the Bean. 

So we still have some work to do.  Walls to fill with pictures.  Hazards to address.  A closet to clean out.  But things are coming together!  And we've received so many lovely gifts that are stashed away here and there.  We are so thankful for the generosity of friends and family!  

And I'll get those pictures of the whole room up soon! (-ish).

Outdoor baby cage

 

For the parent who would like to leave their toddler outside unsupervised, but is afraid of what the neighbors might think.  Save $15.  

Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves

Stumbled upon this blog today while looking for images of Maurice Sendak's illustrations.  You know Maurice Sendak, even if you don't immediately recognize the name.  He wrote and illustrated Where the Wild Things Are and also illustrated Wilhelm Grimm's Dear Mili.

The latter book was "Preserved in a letter written to a young girl, Mili, in 1816 and not discovered until 1983, the Grimm story is prefaced by a tender address in which he underscores the story's message: although there are many obstacles that can prevent people from being together, 'one human heart can go out to another, undeterred by what lies between.' The story that follows implies that love transcends even death." (-Publisher's Weekly). 

I had this book growing up, and I think it, along with George MacDonald's The Lost Princess are the only two children's books that made the transition with me through apartments in college, grad school, and now onto a bookshelf in my first "grown up home."  Reading the letter from Grimm to his niece about the power of love, especially between parent and child, between human beings separated by obstacles and tragedies, cemented the name Amelia and the nickname Mili for our little beanette.  

But I ramble.  Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves is a treasure trove of old books, classics you will remember from your own chilhood and the forgotten books you've never heard of, but should.  The blogger, B. Streetman, shares books with her son that I plan to peruse with our Mili, and is a great example of how reading to your child can increase their love of literacy.

"I love that my son --at almost six-- still loves me to read him anything... from Percy Jackson to a toddler book about colors. As long as the pictures are good and/or the story is well-written, he will turn no book away. I can't tell you how many play dates we've had when a child finds a book in our house and I start to read and then they realize how long it is (as in a picture book with more than 36 words) and they ask me to stop and just go through and show them the pictures. With the exception of some children who just have a natural aversion to sitting for extended periods of time, if you read to a child daily, they will want to be read to. Period."

Anyway, definitely a long post.  But I had to share this blog.  It is truly fantastic.

In other news, I will definitely get on announcing Mili's middle name, officially, as well as taking some pictures of how her room is shaping up as per your requests (via Facebook) ...now that my husband and I finally relocated our camera.   =)

And to those of you in school, teaching, or lucky enough to have one:  Happy Spring Break!!!