Nursery

Yesterday after JB got home from the hospital, we tried to check some more items off of our list of things to do before baby comes. I printed off our phone list, packed a few more things in my hospital bag, and talked JB into venturing into the nursery with me.

Many people have asked us what our "make room for baby" plan is. Well, currently, our plan is to have new baby in the pack-n-play for an extended period of time. I have a strong philosophy that there is no point in two people being awake to do one person's job -- especially when one of those people (John) has to go to work the next morning and can't take a nap during the day. Therefore, as we did with Isaac, JB and I will most likely sleep in separate locations for the first few weeks at least. One of us will be in the bedroom and the other in the living room. The pack-n-play will travel to wherever Mom is. We'll use the pack-n-play as the baby's "home base" as we did with Isaac -- diapers, clothes, burp cloths, bibs, etc. will be kept there in the beginning.

Eventually, when Elijah is only waking up 1-2 times a night, we'll move back into the bedroom together. Pack-n-play will be kept in the guest room (when guests aren't there), in our room, or in the living room. (We already have a second monitor which we will need since these houses are fortresses and you can't hear a darned thing even one room over.) We'll play which room pack-n-play will be in by ear. Then, eventually, it is our hope to get both boys into the same room. We have no preconceived notions about how long it will be before that happens or if it will even happen before we leave Eglin in 18 months. But that is our goal.

One thing we knew for sure is that we wanted to keep our guest room / library in-tact. We have a lot of company coming and going and it is important that they have a room of their own. In addition, JB uses that room for his personal reading, books, art, etc. We wanted to keep it that way. In hindsight, had we known we were going to have two boys 8-9 months apart, we probably would have made the nursery the bigger of the two rooms. But at this point, we do not want to make that change. The nursery is tiny, but it is quite doable.

So that is our current plan. As always, JB and I refrain from saying "this is what we are going to do." Instead we say, "This is what we are going to try." We observe the right to change our minds at anytime. Plan is in place but definitely subject to change.

Okay, so back to the nursery. I have already pulled out newborn clothes. They now get half the closet. Isaac's clothes get the other half of the closet. I showed JB where everything was, we reorganized a few things, and just did some discussing as to the feasibility of managing two babies in this tiny space. We think we have figured out a way to fit the pack-n-play into the room once Elijah is ready to bunk with his older brother.

One thing we also really needed to do was to drop Isaac's crib mattress lower as he is starting to roll around, scoot, and maneuver his way around the crib. JB did not drop it to its lowest level as this crib does not have a front rail that drops, and I was unable to reach that far down into the crib with my current state of attached belly. So we went with the middle level. It is high enough to keep him securely inside until my said-belly shrinks a bit. At that point, we'll drop to the lowest level.

JB got the crib all set up and then sat Isaac in it to play while we did some other work in the nursery. When we turned around, our little sitting boy was a little standing boy! He had pulled himself up using the crib slats all by himself! Isaac has been trying to pull himself up in the living room and even did it one or two times, but always with us helping to position his feet just perfectly. But this was his first, unassisted, stand up. Another bit of proof that he is growing up so very fast.

All baby clothes are organized in Tupperware by sizes so that we can quickly pull out the next size for Elijah. Clothes still too big for Isaac are hanging in the guest room closet and ready to bring in as Isaac gets bigger. I feel pretty comfortable with my system and am starting to feel like I am ready to bring this second little guy into our home.

As excited as we are for Isaac's arrival, we are definitely torn. Is our life "easier" having Elijah on the inside or the outside? I'm not sleeping well now but it isn't like Elijah's arrival will bring me more sleep! :) I'm busy now working 20 hours a week but when that goes away and baby moves in instead, I'll still be busy.

Of course what we think or feel really means, well, nothing. Elijah will make his appearance whenever he is good and ready. Maybe on JB's birthday? January 24th? That sounds like a good a date as any. My only "date request" is that Elijah does not come at the same time as our physician's adopted baby. My doctor is in the midst of adopting a little baby boy due to be born eight around the same time as Elijah. I will truly be dissapointed if Dr. G. cannot be at my delivery so we are praying that these boys work it out and do not come at the same time!

We ended our day of baby-preparing activities (which included a bath for the dog -- he smells soooo much better) by having a little date night after Isaac was in bed. JB made a fantastic Mexican meal (something he doesn't make often), we watched Ironman, and we had dessert: Cinnabon cinnamon rolls from the grocery store. Yum! Knowing that our current ability to have date nights will be lessened signficantly any day, we are enjoying every minute we have.

Right now it is Sunday morning. I am waiting for JB to get home from the hospital and then we'll head to church. I'm blessed Isaac is well enough for us to go. Have a great Sunday everyone . . . oh, and GO DOLPHINS!