What's New, Pussycat?

We have been busy, busy, BUSY these last couple of weeks. My "nesting" instincts are in full swing, and I have contracted out my fabulous builder-man husband to make all of my dreams come true. For the last nine months I have had a running list of about twenty things I have wanted to do before this baby gets here, and I am pleased to announce that as of today we are down to nine...ish. This list is never really done, since I can always seem to think of something new to stress myself out.

Matt seriously has been awesome with all of this, and has patently accomplished each and every task I have given him without a word of complaint. What a lucky girl I am, and what a crazy guy he is for marrying me.

I wrote on here a few weeks ago about my sudden desire to have Bennett in a human-sized bed. My motives were 1- Matt is deploying, and I didn't want to have to deal with moving him over in a few months possibly alone, and 2- I found a really, really good deal on super nice stuff. So here is Bennett's new big boy bed. And new room arrangement, as his room is so tiny the new bed wouldn't fit going the same direction his toddler bed was previously. We are currently in the process of making a new matching valance for the window, and I have already done the touch-up paint where the white hole-filler marks are on the wall. I really, really like this room, I wish this picture were better. It is so cute in real life I can hardly contain myself.

 

 And here is Bennett himself, enjoying his new official title of Big Boy (or, as he would say, "Ig boy"). He is so cute in real life I can hardly contain myself as well...although he sure is giving me a run for my money lately with all of his three-year-oldness. Every day lately is a desperate limp to the finish line called "bedtime" with this kid. I don't know why. I think this little boy inside of my body is making me very, VERY tired, and the little boy already inhabiting our home is pushing the envelope on how much patience and energy I have left. 

Bennett seems to have entered the, "I have a mind of my own, by George" stage, which is proving difficult to manage. I mean, we are so happy he can think for himself. That he can make choices and decisions and then understand the consequences of those choices, whether they be good or bad. And we love that he is asserting his independence and trying to do things on his own. But oh! The constant energy required of a parent when their child is learning about the world around them! The constant explanations of why things are they way they are! The constant negotiations of what he can and cannot do! And when he can do it. And where. And how. And why. And, "Bennett, do not eat your boogers." And, "Bennett, you need to listen the first time we tell you to do something." And, "Bennett, you use the potty when you have to go poopie, NOT OUR NEIGHBOR'S YARD!!!" Good grief! It's like we are raising an alien. I often find myself looking down at my very pregnant belly and thinking, "Just stay in there. We are in over our heads already."

He really is a very good little boy, and a very smart little boy. He is just learning. 

We are all just learning.

And this other guy IS going to come, weather I am ready or not. So it is a good thing that, at least physically, I am ready. Because look what we finally got done this week...

 Ta-da!! The tree! This has been in my head for the last six months, ever since the day we found out we were having a boy. I went home from the ultrasound appointment and I sat in the chair in Bennett's old nursery and I thought, "How are we going to make this room (which I refuse to repaint) feel like this baby's room, instead of just Bennett's old room?" And this is what I came up with.

 I know that trees in nurseries are all the rage lately, and even though we don't usually follow the obvious trends, I couldn't resist. The amount of work, time, money, and effort that went into this little project is astounding, but the results are amazing! The entire thing is made out of wood, so it pops out of the wall a little bit and gives it a 3D appearance. I personally mod podged (for 11 hours!!) the scrapbooked leaf circles and birds, and when we leave this house you better believe this tree is going to come with us. I love it, and it really ties the whole room together, which is very loosely themed around birds (what other theme is there for boys besides sports and jungle? I tell you, when we have a girl...) And I need to say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to Mary and Wayne for taking Bennett for a few days while I finished up this doozy of a project. I never could have done this with that crazy kid running around.

 Here is another little corner of the nursery. Pretty much everything you see (rocking chair cover, bird pillow, the wall art, the framed photos, the birdhouse shelf decoration) was made by hand or recycled from Bennett's previous use. We love a bargain!  

 And here I am, after mod podging all of those circles. Very proud...and very much in need of a shower. Matt is lucky I let him upload this monstrosity onto a public site.

And last but not least, on July 3rd Matt and I spent a millennium in the AutoMax dealership signing papers and shaking hands until we eventually drove away with this...  

 

A 2013 Ford Explorer. Woo-Hoo! We ended up trading in both our Ford Edge and Matt's truck (he only cried a little) and upgraded to a "family car" that seats up to seven people. From the outside though, it looks almost the same as our little Edge. Why did we do this, you ask? Well, honestly, we are saving money by having only one car payment and one gas tank to fill. Plus, since Matt is deploying again there is no need to have two cars around so one can just sit in the driveway for a year. While Matt is gone (and making the big bucks) we will put savings away for a little run-around car for him when he gets back. For now though, we are back to sharing one car and a motorcycle for a few months. That's OK. I don't mind sharing :)

 

This car is beautiful, and it makes me want to cover the seats in plastic wrap and never use the touchscreen. But since we will be filling it with two kids soon, and any other child I babysit or person I carpool with (another reason we went with the bigger car) I will have to get over that instinct. However, there will be NO EATING in here...at least until the newness wears off :)

So that's what's going on around here. The Fourth of July was spent in our backyard doing the traditional BBQ with family and friends, and Bennett spent two days having the time of his life with Maimie and Pop (pictures and posts to follow). Matt also found time to build me a master closet (shoe racks, extra shelving, etc.) put an extra shelf in the pantry to store all of our food storage on, drain the water heater, and install an attic ladder in the garage so I can have access to the attic without having to pull out my non-existent gymnastic skills. And I have accomplished a few other sewing projects, and organized every cupboard, closet, and drawer in our house. Like I said--busy busy, busy but so much fun! We live a good life :)