Avonelle's Nursery... Finally

Did you know that Avonelle will be here in less than 24 hours? I did. I’m quite happy about that.

Well, here it is… The long awaited pictures of Avy’s room! It isn’t a 100% done yet. There are still a few little things here and there, but it is done enough for viewing and for bringing my little princess home to. Done enough.

And lets just take a moment to thank Pinterest for existing. I would have gone crazy trying to keep track of tutorials and ideas without it. I heart Pinterest.

The main focus of the room is of course the crib and the beautiful bedding that my mom, grandma, and I made! Also the paint. Thank you to the hubby for that one. He is an expert painter after this project. (Please visualize beautiful baby and family pictures into the frames... not the Walmart models).

The before... an empty white box.

The after... I could never really get a good one of the whole room so here is a lame side by side so you can see what it looks like standing in the doorway.

I finally made some window seat cushions for the fun window seats in both this room and Traegan's room. They are so comfy and make a great little seat to read books on.

Here is a close up of the bedding. I'm so in love with the bedding I can't stand it.

I had been debating making crib bedding so I could get exactly what I wanted. Then I ran across this fabric collection on Etsy one night and I was decided. After much hunting online and in stores and price checking. I found the fabric in a local store and snatched it up.

I used this tutorial for the fitted crib sheets, which was beyond easy. And this tutorial for the dust ruffle. Which was also easy.

As for the crib bumper. Wow. I pinned and read about a thousand tutorials on how to do a crib bumper. All were difficult. All were different. I could not have done it without my amazing seamstress Grandma Perkes' help. She was awesome and we figured out a really easy and cheap way to make a crib bumper.

Then we made this quilt to match because my mom found the pattern and loved it. I love it too. So much that we made two quilts. Ha! (The other one has a lot more color and is on the back of the chair in the room).

Super excited about this little area. This recliner is the most comfortable chair on the planet and I wouldn’t change having it in my nursery for the world. Especially during those late night feedings. However it is dark green; which didn’t really match. But, I found that awesome slipcover for $20 on eBay!

Noelle gave me the pretty pink latern, the star ones are from a trip I took to Sweden that I’ve been hoarding for 6 years, and I bought the grey one and the lighting cord online. Now I have a soft little light for during the night. It also makes the room glow pink, which is awesome!


This is the part that still needs some love. I have a few things to put on that shelf still ($5 DI find!) and I’m going to line the baskets with matching material. Also I have a frame to put on the right since the studs made the shelf uncentered above the changing table. Anyway, we got that changing table for $5 on KSL and spray painted it. Makes me happy! And all those blankets on the bottom shelf I crocheted the edges on and have a matching burp cloth. Maybe one day I will post pictures of those. Maybe.

This is on the little wall to your left when you walk in the room in between that door and the closet doors. It is the cutest hair bow holder in existence in my humble opinion.

Noelle gave me the mirror and Josh and I took it apart, spray painted it, made “ribbons” out of matching material, put it all back together and hung it up. It turned out so much better than I had even hoped it would. I love it.

I saw this awesome piece of artwork on Pinterest and died. I knew that was how I wanted to do her name and that the silver/grey would look awesome against the pink stripes. But I ran into several problems. In order to do it the exact same the letters had to be pretty large and that would make her whole name huge on that wall. And it’s expensive. I don’t have money lying around waiting for me to glue to stuff and never use.

But after lots of brainstorming (washers, tin foil, washers wrapped in tin foil, cheap gem stuff), Christmas came and I noticed the big sequins on my stocking. Perfect! So yeah, that’s what I used and I’m in love with it. This might be my favorite part of the room. They look really yellow in these pictures, but they really do read silver in the room.

Again, ignore/replace the Walmart models with pictures coming soon...

I made two boppy covers with matching fabric and one made from vinyl to keep under the covers so that I don’t have to wash the pillow itself when Avonelle spits up. Yeah! I used this tutorial.

My car seat canopy. And one of my favorite things about this room is that there is a little room on the side of her crib to tuck away her car seat and the diaper bag. Love that.

I wanted one like the JJ Cole ones that have elastic around the bottom so as not to flap open in the wind and other such elements. I could have bought one from JJ Cole, but my OCD needed it to match. Well, there isn’t a pattern for such a thing so I invented one. Aren’t I cool?

Well that's the end. I feel like the pictures don't do it justice, oh well.

And a HUGE (like massive, enormous, gigantic, huge) THANKS goes to Josh for putting up with all my decorating crazy. You are a trooper and the most supportive man ever. Avy will always love her daddy the most because you will do anything for her. I also love you quite a bit!

300

So this is post #300 on this here blog. Pretty impressive huh? Anyway, I’ve been meaning to blog for a while now… but I always get distracted by a super long to do list for Avy’s room. But that is done now (pictures are coming, I promise) so here is my update of all the little random things that have happened over the last two weeks.

NEW BABY

We got a new nephew on Thursday, February 9th. He is awesome and tiny and cute. Here is a stolen picture from Kathy’s blog of Cole and his two proud brothers. Freaking. Cute.

BASKETBALL

Josh’s parents bought season tickets to USU basketball this year. Josh has really enjoyed going to the games and I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve gone to as well. On the day Cole was born, and Scott and Kathy were watching his brothers so they weren’t able to use their tickets. Josh and I jumped at the chance to take Traegan to a game because we knew he would love it and our time of just the three of us was running out. :)

He had a ball. Seriously. He did all the cheers with me. With particular enjoyment from the “Whoosh” free throw cheer. He clapped. He danced. He talks about “basket” all the time now. I’m really glad we had the chance to take him to a game.

THE TIE AND THE PRE HAIRCUT HAIR

I made Traegan a Valentines tie for church before Valentines. It turned out pretty cute if I do say so myself.

Then I took about a million pictures because I knew I was going to cut his hair off that week and I wanted to document those amazing curls. Oh how I will miss them.




VALENTINES

So about a month ago, Josh asked me what I wanted to do for Valentines. I believe I responded something like "eat food and watch TV". I’m just not feeling it what with being super duper pregnant and miserable all the time. Go figure.

Anyway, we did gifts a week or so ago and we went on a nice date a few weeks ago so I figured we were covered. Well Josh pulled a few surprises out his butt on Valentines Day and Traegan and I had a fantastic day. Thanks honey!

HAIRCUT

I have struggled with this decision for a long time now. (Yes, I realize it is not that important of a decision). I’m in LOVE with Traegan’s hair. Love. I think it is so dang cute and the curls kill me on a daily basis. I did NOT want to cut them off. But it was getting really long. It was always in his eyes and he was always fighting with it. I felt bad. So yeah, the decision to cut it… it was hard for me.

So then I just have to mention that I’m a freak. I got on my blog, did some “research” and discovered that Traegan has had 4 haircuts already. Useless information, but I couldn’t remember and it was bothering me. However his last one was almost a year ago. So it is going to take a really long time to get those curls back… sigh. Big sigh.

Anyway, we had it cut on Wednesday, February 15th and it was traumatic for him because he had just woken up from a short nap, but I LOVE IT! It is so cute I can hardly stand it. And he likes it too (I asked him and he said yes.)

This was the picture we took right after in the car and he was super emotional. Ha!

LOST FRIENDS

That same day I went to dinner with my good old group from high school since Jenny was here from her home far far away. It was so much fun to catch up and see them again. I’ve felt like I haven’t seen anyone the past few months (whether they live a million miles away or not) so it was really great to have some adult time!

And Jenny and Brianna forced us to take a picture. It’s not great, but I’m all about documenting so I’m posting it. Also can you tell who doesn’t like pictures the most? (Stacy).

OTHER RANDOM PICTURES

This picture makes me happy for no apparent reason. Traegan and his daddy spend a lot (like a whole lot) of time in the “band room” having “band practice”. Usually it involves dad on guitar and Trae on the drums, but today they were both playing the keyboard. I love my boys.

We took some maternity pictures on Saturday. It’s kind of funny because I had like zero expectations for them. No offense to the awesome photographer who took them, it’s just that I knew I would be HUGE in them and probably hate them because of it. I’ve only seen one and it’s pretty darned cute. Except for me looking like a cow and Traegan freezing… Anyway, I’m really excited to see the rest.

And I was 38 and a half weeks in them.

Oh and here is a link to her photography page. She is awesome!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mekenzi-Anne-Photography/190547047700372

And this one was from today. We spent ALL morning and afternoon running errands and Traegan was so tired he fell asleep with a sucker in his mouth. It was so cute.

As a side note, I would have fallen asleep with a sucker in my mouth too had I not been driving. Running errands is freaking exhausting. I was talking to Josh while walking into a store and asked me why I was breathing so hard and that my breathing was hurting his ears. Awesome. I informed him I had a baby on my lungs and bladder and couldn't help it.

So yeah, I CAN NOT WAIT TO GET AVY HERE AND OUT OF ME!!! Thursday is the day! I'm so excited!

Football & A CAR!!!

Before I get into this weekend. I just have to mention two things about my little dude.

1. Traegan has been getting his shoes and running to the garage saying, “Fish. Pin Pin. I want Fish. I want Pin Pin.” When we actually get into the car, he is even more insistent. The boy really wants to go back to the aquarium and I’m so surprised he has remembered it this long. It’s hilarious.

2. Also we recorded Dumbo on the Disney Channel and he loves it. He is in there laughing hysterically at it right now. Man I love that kid!

Sunday was the Super Bowl. We went to Josh’s Grandma Jones’ and had a wonderful time. There was lots of food, good company and lots of people for Trae to play with.

Top Row: Chloe, Kylie, Hallie (Josh’s youngest cousin)
Middleish: Traegan, Jettsen, Owen
Bottom Row: Sammie, Deston (Josh’s cousin’s baby)

This one was taken with a cell phone, but it was so cute. Traegan played really well with Owen all night and well with Deston... sometimes. :) Still they were so funny playing with their superheroes!

All the kids started to get a little rambunctious with the balls and so Great Grandma Jones organized them all into her entryway and played with them. It was stinking adorable. Seriously the cutest thing ever. Traegan didn’t really get the concept, but he still had fun!

And a video because it was so cute!

Yesterday we finally (actually we only waited a week) received our tax return so we were off to buy a car! We had looked and done our research so we knew what we wanted to get already and after several hours… we came home with this:

Kathy watched Trae for us while we were shopping and she also took a picture for us when we got back. And lets remember and document that I'm 36 and a 1/2 weeks pregnant in this picture. Also, pretend Traegan was looking at the camera. He was super intrigued by the new car. :)

My new (to me) pretty, Nissan Murano! I’m so in love with it I can’t even stand it. And I’m even more excited to have the freedom to drive myself places.

My dizziness hasn’t been near as bad for about a week now and (knock on wood) hopefully it will continue. So yeah, happy day to us all!

Pin Pin & Nemo

Did you know that it’s February? I did. That means I’m having a baby this month. Three weeks from yesterday actually. This makes me very happy. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. Tiny, Squishy, Pink thing….

Anyway, life…

I went to the doctor last week (January 26th). I get an ultrasound at every appointment, which last pregnancy meant that I had tons of cute pictures of Trae. But Avy is not so much a cooperator. She hardly ever shows us her sweet face. But I did take a cute picture of Traegan while we were there and waiting for our appointment. It’s just with my cell phone though so it’s not the best. Still. My kid is freaking cute!

Traegan was sick last week (last full week of January). It sucked. He had some sort of cold/flu viral thing. I even took him to the doctor to be sure because on Friday, he totally looked like a zombie. His eyes were all puffy and purple from not sleeping and coughing up a lung. Not fun. He is much better now though. Oh and he now weighs 29 pounds.

Then the only other thing of note was on Wednesday (February 1) of this week. After Josh got done working and chauffeuring Traegan and I around (have I mentioned I have the best husband ever?), we decided to take the rest of the day to go to the aquarium.

We try to go every year on or around Josh’s birthday. (Even though we totally didn’t last year). But since we will be a little busy on Josh’s birthday this year and for a while after we decided to go before.

Traegan loved it! Seriously, that is the understatement of the century. The boy freaked out. He was so dang happy looking at everything.

Really I think this first picture just says it all… Pure fascination.

This is Josh and Trae touching the sting rays. I was much too close to get a good picture, but the place was packed. My videos also didn’t really work. He was so dang cute though. After he would touch one, he would exclaim, “I touched it. I touched it!” Super fun.

Traegan found Nemo. As you can see that was quite amazing.

He loved the shark tank too. He kept saying "rawr" because that's what sharks say.

He has also recently become obsessed with penguins, or as he calls them, Pin Pin’s. (We have a book with a penguin character that I’ve been reading him since he was a baby and it’s name is Pin Pin. I guess it’s too close to penguin, so he just says Pin Pin). And Grandpa McMurdie has a stuffed penguin that has become Trae’s every time we go there.

As we were walking into the aquarium we kept telling him we were going to see Pin Pins and he was so excited. Once we finally got to the penguins he could hardly contain himself. I didn’t get any pictures of him with them because I was having too much fun watching him with them. :)

And here is just a little video of him looking at the fishes. It was right at the beginning and he was just enthralled. It’s pretty dang cute.

All day at the aquarium I could feel myself catching Traegan’s cold. I was not happy. I just barely had a cold the end of December and I was not ready for one again. Thankfully it is almost gone now and wasn’t nearly as bad.

So yeah, that is life as of late.

Snow

You know how it’s supposed to be winter and it just really hasn’t been. Well… I. Am. Not. Complaining! I hate snow. Hate it. And it is even worse pregnant and afraid of falling over all the time. So yeah, this kind of winter, I could get used to. (Yes, I know we need the water and I should care, but I just am having a hard time NOT loving the lack of snow).

Anyway, remember near the beginning of the month when it snowed sort of hard (the first weekend in January)? That was when I took these pictures after Josh had finished shoveling the driveway. I love them. And now that I have my winter/playing in the snow pictures, there is no reason for it to snow again right?

Josh and Traegan playing (note there is an actual snowball, thrown by Trae, in mid air).

This is how T-Man ducks to avoid dad's snowballs. Ha!

Love this face... so very much!

He was so happy playing out there.

Because I thought his little butt looked so cute when he'd pick up snow.

Pure. Joy. I love him so much!

There, I’m officially caught up with blogging. I have yet to take any new pictures so I don’t know what to blog next, but at least I’m not several weeks behind anymore…

Twin Falls Trip

Super late post…

I headed to Twin Falls with my mom, Justin, Tobin, my cousin’s girlfriend, Jessica, and Traegan the Friday before New Year’s (December 30th) because my cousin Nate was taking out his endowments in preparation for his mission. We met all of Nate's family there and my grandparents also made the drive up, so there was lots of family and catching up!

It took a lot of preparation for the trip. The Twin Falls temple is smaller and doesn’t rent clothes. Well, have you ever tried to clothe a very pregnant woman in all white before? Not easy. We made me a dress and stuff earlier that week.

Anyway, the temple session was nice, despite the fact that I was about to pass out the entire time. I had to excuse myself for a minute to go get water, something I never thought I’d do. Plus I was getting over a cold. You never realize how loud you are until you are in a temple session. Oh the snuffles. But it was still nice.

I had a lot of help with Traegan from all my awesome family, but when it came time to go to sleep in our own little hotel room, the crap hit the fan. We eventually took him for a drive to get him to sleep. However, he was awake and screaming a mere few hours later. I seriously do not know how they didn’t kick me out of that hotel room. Trae was super constipated and being away from home and not having keys to my mom’s car, I had nothing to help him. It was a LONG night.

The next day we headed home and I was thrilled to get back to my honey.

We stopped at Shoshone Falls before we left Twin and it was truly beautiful.


It was SUPER icy everywhere and all my family was very, very concerned with me falling. They were very nice to keep taking Traegan and helping a preggo out.

My mom, my Grandma Perkes, and Traegan

We tried to get a picture of me and Traegan, but it was super windy and cold and he wouldn't look at the camera. I have to admit though, I quite like this one.

This is my cousin Nate and with my brother, Justin. Nate has been living in Logan with my grandparents to attend school since the fall and we have loved having him so close. We will miss him when he leaves.

Just a cute one of Justin walking Trae to the car. I'm so blessed to have so many willing and helpful hands for my Traegan to hold on to.

Anyway, for New Year’s Eve that night, Josh and I went to bed at about 10. He had caught my cold and wasn’t feeling great. I had only slept about 3 hours the night before and was sure I would die. So when Trae fell asleep, we weren’t far behind. Such party animals!

Pregnancy Update (less whining)

Hello again. I know that no one, never mind, very few people read these, but that’s okay. I am mostly doing it for me anyway.

So pregnancy has not gotten easier. At my last doctor’s appointment I begged for some more stuff to try to help with the dizzy and she prescribed a medication to try. I was so optimistic. I was so excited to potentially drive again (and you know housework and stuff). But alas, it doesn’t work. It helps a little, but makes me drowsy and gives me blurred vision. Not going to get me driving any time soon.

But I am trying so hard to be optimistic. It is very, very, possible that this is my last pregnancy and I’m trying to enjoy it. Plus I know that my attitude is greatly affecting Traegan and Josh so I’m trying to fix it.

Thanks entirely to my sweet husband I have learned that if I can sleep off the morning bout of dizzy I actually feel okay for a few hours in the afternoon and can get some stuff done. I don’t know what I’d do without him, but I’m glad I don’t have to find out!

Plus, for some reason, having my c-section actually scheduled (February 24th baby!) makes it feel a lot closer. And 5 weeks seems a lot easier than 6 weeks.

I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. Tiny, squishy, pink thing!