Putting baby’s nursery together has felt like a very daunting task – I’m caught in the middle of wanting to be prepared while also realizing that I’ve never had a baby and have truly no idea what they could possibly want nor do I have any idea what I could possibly find helpful. We’re strong believers in keeping things minimal and flexible, so I’m trying to narrow things down to what we really need and then go from there. We’re not going with any specific theme, and just sticking with a neutral color palette that says boy without screaming it (hopefully).
This look changed at least 5 times, but choosing our priorities and then working from those really helped to narrow things down. Our priorities, more specifically, were 1) a black crib (for some reason, very hard to find multiple options at a reasonable price point) and 2) a rocker that also reclined, so we knew that everything else would have to be flexible around that. I’m such a visual person so it’s nice to see the room virtually come together and cut out the things that I just couldn’t make work.
The first (and only) thing we have bought for baby or his room at this point, is this rug from Boutique Rugs. We have been thankful to have already been gifted with the rocker/recliner and the dresser which leaves us with just a few more nursery necessities. We are working with a relatively small space and at this point, there are still some things leftover from the room’s previous life that we are still needing to donate or relocate. Thankfully, we’re not planning on painting the room other than a few touch ups here and there. I painted it Sherwin Williams’ color Gracious Greige a few years ago and am still 100% obsessed with it.
I’m really hoping that this nursery will be a calm and cozy spot for all of us to enjoy and that, over time, the items that we’ve chosen can easily be transitioned into whatever makes sense for us down the road.
Kevin and I are over the moon excited to have this sweet babe joining our family – it still feels surreal typing these words. We’re currently 17 weeks and feeling pretty great, which has been a huge blessing. The last couple months have been filled with sleep, telling close family and friends, more sleep, pup snuggles, and lots of sour gummy worms. Did I mention sleep? There’s been a lot of that.
But in all seriousness, this space has been pretty empty. It’s difficult to write about goals and life without talking about this news, which we wanted to keep private until we were ready and had told family first. In preparation, to preserve memories for myself in this space, I’ve been writing posts and plan to “back date” them in the coming weeks. There’s plenty to say, and lots I want to remember because I know that time is fleeting – heck we’re already almost halfway.
This post was originally written at the beginning of March when we first learned of baby’ Reape’s gender, however, it wasn’t posted until after we made the announcement.
Kevin and I went back and forth trying to decide if we’d look at the gender results up until the moment we found out. We knew we’d have the opportunity to find out earlier than our anatomy scan, due to the genetic screening that our doctor recommended. We have friends and family who have both found out and who have waited until the birth day and both seemed to have pros and cons. We loved the idea of a surprise (there are so few in life!) but we also loved the idea of calling baby by their name and bonding in that way before they are born. So, we decided to find out! Before I share, let’s see if the old wives tales can accurately determine the results.
Heart Rate
Boy = below 140, Girl = above 140
Our baby’s heart rate has been between 160-165.
Conclusion: girl
Chinese Calendar
Based on conception month (December) and my age (29)
Conclusion: girl
Complexion
They say that girls steal their mother’s beauty.
I have had terrible acne since finding out I am pregnant.
Conclusion: girl
How You’re Carrying
It’s still too early to tell
Cravings
Salty = boy, Sweet = girl
I have been craving all the sweets (cake, fruit, gummies, etc) and normally I love salty snacks.
Conclusion: girl
Severity of Morning Sickness
Mild = boy, severe = girl
I’ve had very little morning sickness.
Conclusion: boy
Mood
Moody, irritable = girl, Stable, mellow = boy
So far, Kevin says he hasn’t noticed any difference to my fairly stable mood.
Conclusion: boy
Mom’s prediction: boy
Dad’s prediction: girl
Totals: BOY = 3, GIRL = 5
No surprise that it’s a close one, and with a few tests left out or inconclusive because it’s still so early maybe we didn’t get the most accurate results. But without further ado….
Restaurants we loved: CC’s City Broiler (always), Pancheros, 44 Canteen, Barred Owl
Meals we made: Korean Beef, Barred Owl Burgers, Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Salads, Sausage and Roasted Veggies, Smoothie Bowls
Shows we watched: Veep, Better Call Saul, You, Dr. Disrespect and Kitboga on Twitch
Movies We Saw: Fantastic Beasts, Pacific Rim: Uprising, Isle of Dogs, Wont You Be My Neighbor
Places we went together: La Jolla/San Diego, CA, Las Vegas, NV, Lake Geneva, WI, Kansas City, MO
Things We Did: celebrated a huge and exciting job change for Kevin, invited two of our favorite people to live with us for extended periods of time, went to multiple gaming events and expos, joined Twitch, played (and won!) at trivia, celebrated 9 years together, watched some of our best friends get married, remodeled our bathroom, and tailgated for almost every Mizzou football game.
Restaurants we loved: CC’s City Broiler, Coley’s, Adison’s, Chick-fil-a
Meals we made: Chili, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Chicken and Swiss Bake, Chicken Salads, Spaghetti Squash, lots of yummy BBQ on the flat top grill
Shows we watched: House of Cards, Fixer Upper, This is Us, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Movies We Saw: Ingrid Goes West, Get Out
Places we went together: Kansas City, Omaha, NE, and lots of trips to St. Louis
Things We Did: joined a small group, celebrated a promotion, cheered on Mizzou football and basketball, celebrated a couple PUBG chicken dinners, went on our first photo date (now that we have two cameras in the house), celebrated 8 years together, dressed up as PB&J for Halloween, celebrated Kevin’s mom’s wedding, drank lots of diet coke, hosted game nights, dinners, and overnight stays
