Starting the nursery

I've been shopping for baby Norah for months now, but I've actually made very few purchases. I've also been planning her nursery ever since we found out the gender, but again I've made very little progress. I have no less than one million links to nursery ideas and rooms that I love sitting in my Google account; I just can't seem to pull anything together.

However, I am THRILLED with the few items I do have. I bought this print on etsy.com. I'm not usually a fan of little cutsie sayings on the wall, but how sweet is this? It's hanging on the wall by the door--the first thing to actually have a permanent place and the first thing you see when you walk into the room.
And since I decided that I like me a subtle bird theme, I got this print that I've been eying for a while. Best of all, I have these incredible stitcheries from Alissa. The smaller one is titled "Multiply and Replenish." Don't the paisleys remind you of little cells dividing into a new, fabulous baby Norah? The larger one is called "Take off Your Top," which according to Alissa is how I got myself into this predicament in the first place.

I'm finding that I don't like a lot of really babyish stuff, so I'm choosing items that I would like to have in my house with or without a little girl. Plus, it's a real bonus when the items have special meaning--like the stitcheries.

Not wanting to spend a lot of money, I'm having Nic refinish a piece of furniture we already have and make it into a changing table. Then, he gets to refinish an existing dresser as well. I don't think he knows this yet, but I'm also having him build some sort of shelves on one of the walls (and in the closet too, sorry). Thanks for being so handy Nic!

Debbie has volunteered to make a crib set, I just need to settle on what fabric to use. Oh, and I bought a rocker on KSL that I need to recover. So I guess I have more than I thought; it's just all halfway done or not even started. Three months seems like forever when I think of my growing belly, but when it comes to finishing furniture I feel like I don't have enough time.

Shopping always makes me feel better

After having an organ removed on a Friday, Nic went back to work the next Monday. And to all those who have told me that I should have made him stay home, I say next time you try to reason with him. At least he didn't drive himself. I consider that a victory.

It's hard to say if he's been feeling better; he's still all tired and messed up from the abdomen cutting and drugs and trying to do too much. He planned to work this Saturday, but after working all day Friday and making some of his stitches bleed, he decided on his very own that it really would be best if he take it easy. He's still impossible to keep at the house though; so he got to tag along with me for the weekend and even got to go shopping at Baby Gap.

Oh, Baby Gap. That's a whole lot a darling in one place. I don't think it helped Nic feel much better, but I sure felt awesome about my purchases. We're buying baby clothes--for a baby.


We're now six months into this pregnancy thing and doing pretty well. Lately, we've just been in survival mode because of all Nic's stuff. I like to remind him how unfair it is that I'm pregnant and he is still feeling worse than me. Isn't it supposed to be my turn? We've both tried to keep up with everyone, but it's been hard...so sorry for all the short visits and the lack of returned phone calls. We're doing the best we can.

Baby Norah is doing great. She's just chillin out and kicking the hell out of my insides. Whenever she bothers me really badly, I poke and pat right back at her. That usually makes her stop for a while. I figure that two can play at this game.

Not his favorite day

Yesterday was not the most fun we've ever had when taking a day off of work. We left home at eleven and didn't get home from the hospital until after six. Now, Nic is minus his gallbladder and all hopped up on Percocet. Everything went really well. But did you know that when they take your gallbladder out, they deflate it and pull it out your belly button? Out of your belly button! The doctor had to make three other incisions to get all the scar tissue and junk off; apparently Mr. Nic's gallbladder was pretty messed up. I had so much fun that I went to bed at eight.

Today we've stayed home, which if you know Nic means that he is really not feeling well. Usually not even an act of God can keep him in the house all day. I've taken the opportunity to satisfy some nesting projects, but hopefully he'll be feeling up to doing something tomorrow.

In other news: Moxie and Sup had their annual exam this week. On a fat scale from 1 to 5, Sup is a 4.5. Apparently he's not just fluffy like I've been telling him. I feel his pain; it seems like every morning I wake up with a bigger belly. Nic on the other hand, has lost a lot of weight. Hopefully, we'll all start feeling better soon...

Procedures

It's been a stressful couple of weeks at our house. I'm doing my best to grow a person and Nic is doing his best to figure out what in the world is wrong with his insides. So basically neither of us is all too chipper.

Nic had two procedures last week: one involving a camera going down his throat and up his butt (Did they meet in the middle?), and another involving laying on a table for a couple of hours while some sort of radiation went through his body to show how his organs were functioning. I wasn't there for the radiation thing, but was there when he came out of the anesthesia after his colonoscopy. If you've seen this video then you have a pretty good idea about what he's like post-op. He doesn't remember much of that day.

We haven't gotten results from the first procedure, but the radiation thing showed that his gallbladder isn't functioning properly and is most likely what is making him sick. His doctor and a surgeon are supposed to call him sometime today to discuss his options. So it looks like there could be a fun surgery in the near future. The best thing to do with Nic when he's on pain pills after surgery? Watch a scary movie. Well, not so much watch the movie as watch Nic watch the movie. It makes for a good time.

I've got a little less than four months of this pregnancy thing to go. I was all weirded out by the thought of feeling the baby move, but then it happened and it wasn't all that strange--until I could see movement on the outside! That is weird. I don't know what all else I should say about this whole deal other than we're excited for the end result. Yay for baby Norah!