For a little bookworm:

From the beginning of time, I've always wanted any kid I have to be a bookworm like me. The adventures I went on as a kid while reading are some of my fondest memories. I hold those books close to my heart. I remember them fondly (see here). They shaped who I am today and I want that for my kids. I want them to experience that joy. So, when we were planning the nursery, I knew I wanted some book ledges to display Baby M's ever-growing library.

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I liked these from Land of Nod, but at $24.95 each, they didn't really seem cost effective. We planned to have 4 (2 on each side of the window) but didn't want to pay $100+. Not in the budget. So, we used these as our inspiration and made our own.

We went to Home Depot one morning and picked up a few 1x4s and a 1x2 and had them cut into 24" pieces.

Since all our piece were pre-cut, assembling the ledges was really easy. Andrew pre-drilled some holes and we used 2" screws to screw the 1x4 pieces together.

Once that was done, we used 2" finishing nails to attach the front lip to each ledge. And we used a little wood filler to cover the nail holes.

After we let all that sit overnight, it was time to paint. So we spent one morning out in the carport putting a few coats of white semi-gloss paint on all 4 ledges (Andrew actually did this part --  I tried to stay as far away from the paint as possible). We let that sit for a few days, just to be sure everything was nice and dry and then it was time to hang them.

We marked their placement on the wall and measured up from the floor to make sure they were all the same. Then we used a stud finder to make sure we would be drilling into studs so they'd be extra secure. We used a level to make sure everything was nice and straight. And then we just screwed those puppies to the wall.

Then the fun part -- decorating! We filled his ledges with books and a few small toys. I am excited to see how the contents of these ledges rotates and changes as he grows and his tastes and interests change. It will be fun to see how he displays his favorite things -- a map of sorts of his ever-evolving little personality.

Our cost for the entire project? $33.84. And that includes the gallon of paint that we had to buy. That's like a $70 savings. And it was such a quick and easy project. We knocked it out in a weekend. Can't wait to tackle the rest of the projects we have for this space. We're getting so close to being done. Get ready for the big reveal coming soon!

Packing:

After procrastinating for weeks, I finally got my crap together last weekend and packed my hospital bag. I think one of the reasons I put it off for so long is because it seemed a little overwhelming. I didn't know what I would need and most of the articles I read online seemed like they were suggesting that I pack pretty much my entire house. Is that really necessary? Let's be realistic here. What would I actually need? So I made lists, debated, discussed it with Andrew, packed, and then repacked. I tend to over-pack by nature, so the repacking step was vital for me to pare everything down to just the essentials.

Here's what we ended up with:

As far as clothes, go, I went with:

• pajamas
• socks
• undergarments
• flip flops
• robe
• a going home outfit (leggings and an oversized light-weight sweater)

In the toiletry department, I packed:

• toothpaste
• toothbrush
• deodorant
• dental floss
• moisturizer
• makeup (blush stick, tinted moisturizer, mascara, hydrating lip balm)
• comb
• facial wipes
• hair ties and headband
• shampoo and conditioner
• body lotion
• face wash

I packed a few things for the baby, including:

• hat 
• socks
• two outfits (in two different sizes, so all our bases are covered)

Some miscellaneous items:

• phone and charger
• magazines that I have intentionally not read yet
• journal
• gum

There are a few things that aren't pictured, including Andrew's clothes, car seat, pillows, blanket, and some treats for the nurses (highly recommended by a few nurse friends).

I feel like we're pretty prepared. I don't think I've left anything major out. What about you? Is there anything that I need to add to my list? Anything I can do without?

Skirting the issue:

This past weekend, I finally got around to making the crib skirt for Baby M's bed. A few weeks ago, I picked out this fabric:

I think it will pair really nicely with the crib sheets I made (see here and here).

The fabric for the crib skirt arrived last week and I decided Sunday was the perfect day to tackle this project since Andrew went into work for the morning. I set up my sewing machine on our dining room table (which is currently the only place that can accommodate a sewing session) and got to work. It was pretty simple. 

I had originally thought about making a traditional skirt but after thinking about how the height of the mattress would be lowering as he got older, I decided against it. I needed a way to adjust the skirt as I adjusted the bed so it wouldn't pool at the bottom. I didn't want to make a skirt for each height (way too much work) and I didn't want to have to hem the skirt every time we adjusted the height of the mattress (that would make it unusable at the higher settings for any additional babies down the road). So I did a little research and came up with a solution: make panels with ties. 

Here's what I did:

First, I measured the length of the mattress frame on both the long side and the short side. Then I measured the distance from the frame to the floor. Once I had those measurements, I added a 1" seam allowance to each measurement for a 1/2" seam on each side.

Then I used those measurements to cut out four pieces. I only needed 3 pieces because only 3 sides of the skirt would be visible at a time (the back is against a wall) but thought since I was making 3, I might as well go ahead and make one more. Didn't take any longer and this way, if I ever want to move the crib around, I don't have to worry about having an exposed side. 

After cutting the pieces, I measured 1/2" around, ironed, pinned, and sewed the sides down so that each panel looked nice and finished.

Once the panels were done, I cut the pieces for the ties. I cut 10 strips of fabric about 2" wide and 20" long. The ties may be a little on the long side but I wanted to make sure they were long enough to attach the skirt securely. Once the pieces were cut, I just pressed them in half, opened them up, ironed each side in toward the middle, folded them over, and sewed as close to the edge as possible. 

Then I attached the ties to the panels. I used 2 on each short panel and 3 on each long panel, spaced equally apart.

Then all that was left was to tie it on the crib. Since it's at the highest setting now, I just tied it far enough down so that it just skims the ground. As he grows and we adjust the height of the mattress, I can just tie it up higher to make it shorter. No cutting, no hemming, and it can be used again at any length. Done and done.

So, that's how we made a custom fully-adjustable crib skirt for the nursery. And the cost? We bought 3 yards of fabric for $21.45 but we had a lot left over. So, in the end, the skirt probably cost us less than $20. Not too shabby considering comparable skirts sell for over $50. Score one for being thrifty!

Happy weekend:

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Happy Friday, everyone! So glad another weekend is upon us. What are you lovelies doing with your free time? Anything fun? We have home improvements to knock out. With such a long to-do list, it seems like we just live for the weekends now so we can get stuff done. Such is the life of a homeowner though, I guess. Welcome to being a grownup.

I'm hoping we can start on building our bookshelves this weekend. I'm getting really tired of staring at all those boxes stacked in the living room. I'm also determined to pick up some curtains this weekend because well, it's about time. We've been in the new house for over a month. It's past time for that, really.

Here's a little of what's been going on in our universe lately:

1. Our doctor appointments are every 1-2 weeks now. That means we're getting so close to meeting our sweet little guy. We're nervous (!) but very excited.
2. My sciatic nerve has been KILLING me the last few weeks. I feel like I can hardly put weight on my right leg sometimes. I've been trying to do what I can to alleviate it and some days it feels better but it means that pretty much all of my exercise and physical activity has come to a grinding halt.
3. Kristin, one of my oldest and dearest friends (and 1/4 of the Order) is in town with her kiddos for spring break this week. Getting to see her, even if just for short periods of time, has completely made my week. I miss her when she's all the way over there in Delaware. 
4. We washed all of baby M's new things and put them away in his room. I cannot get over how cute all of his tiny clothes are! I have always had a minor obsession with things in miniature (thus my childhood infatuation with Polly Pockets), but this is just taking it to a whole new level. I can't believe they make people small enough to fit that stuff.
5. The guys Andrew works with threw him a little "guy shower" this week. They took him out to lunch and gave him all kinds of dad advice. It was probably the sweetest thing ever. The guys he works with really are some of the most decent guys I know. And Andrew really enjoys working with them.

We're taking some time off from our busy home improvement schedule this weekend to hang out with my nephew. An afternoon of exploring museums, burgers and shakes, and Mario Kart is desperately needed (and well-deserved) by all.

Have a great weekend, friends! Get out there and enjoy the sunshine!

Bleh:

Having one of those days. I'm exhausted and my back hurts. I desperately want to crawl back into bed and stay there for about a month. So bear with us this week. We're a little behind... in everything.

Wall art:

Back in the initial planning phase for the nursery (before we had even moved into the new house), I came across this photo and immediately started making plans to create a polka dot wall for myself (well, okay, for Baby M):

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I tracked the source to Land of Nod, which I love, but 48 decals (yes, they're actually removable vinyl decals) for $25 seemed a little ridiculous to me and didn't make sense for our budget. I knew I could do it cheaper. I considered making a stencil or a stamp and paint to get the look I wanted but it seemed so permanent and left no room for mistakes.

Then I found this website where you can buy rolls of vinyl super cheap. So I bought a roll of white 24" removable vinyl to the tune of $4. Then I ordered this 3" circle paper punch for $2.92 (I had a $17 Amazon credit). I actually ended up having to order 2 additional yards of the vinyl because one just wasn't enough to get the project done. The total cost for 3 yards of vinyl came to $12.

I spent a evening last week punching out all my circles (I got way more than 48, btw) and last weekend, we spent a few hours putting them up on the wall.

We decided to make a sort of grid pattern. We started with the top row, measuring between dots to ensure they were evenly spaced. Then we worked down the side of the wall using the same method. Once we were happy with the placement, it was just a matter of using those dots on the top and side as a guide to fill in the rest of the wall. 

Andrew took the top half of the wall while I took the bottom. It took a little longer in the beginning because we were still trying to figure out the best method but once we had a system down, it only took about an hour to finish and because they're pretty much vinyl stickers, we can take them off to re-position them or remove them altogether if and when we get sick of them. 

And that's how we made the polka dot wall of my dreams for a whopping total of $14.92. I'm pretty excited to start layering on all the art, shelving, and curtains we have for the walls in here. And our new rug (yep, we finally bought a rug for the nursery!) arrived last week. I can't wait to bring it all together!

Happy weekend:

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Happy Friday, guys! Can you believe it's Friday already? This week has blown by for us. But we've been so busy, I feel like I haven't had time to catch my breath. Hopefully we will be able to do just that this weekend.

Have anything fun happening this weekend? Today is my baby shower, thrown by my very lovely coworkers. And tomorrow is my other baby shower, with lots of my sweet friends, family, and running buddies. I am looking forward to catching up with everyone and celebrating Baby M with some of my dearest friends. It's a baby shower weekend!

Here's a little of what we've been up to lately:

1. I've been having a hard time sleeping these days. Sciatic nerve problems + loose tendons and ligaments + general restlessness = a grumpy preggo lady in the morning. Poor Andrew.
2. Have you ever put jam on your vanilla ice cream? I discovered it last week and have been doing it pretty much every night since. It's my new favorite thing.
3. We changed out all our winter clothes for spring/summer ones this week, so naturally the temperature dropped and we're back to frigid temperatures. I think we may have jinxed it.
4. We had our childbirth class last weekend. There was a lot of information we already knew but being able to tour the hospital and see where we needed to park was a huge relief for me. I can't believe it's only a few weeks away!
5. We have been doing a lot of yard work lately -- chipping away at the mess of weeds, leaves, and branches that some people call a backyard. We're making progress and I am looking forward to a summer of bare feet, cookouts, and naps in a hammock.

Hope your weekend is lovely. Have a great one, friends!