the beginnings of a nursery

 

When I put an offer on my house in November, I never thought one of the bedrooms in it would become a nursery. Well, I hoped, but I had NO IDEA how soon it would happen!

I found out I was pregnant 2 days before I closed on my house. It was a little stressful!

I finally decided that the middle bedroom in my house would become the nursery. It’s easily accessed from both the living room/dining room and my bedroom. As a matter of fact, my room and Beck’s room share a door. I am sure this will be convenient for those late night feedings and pacing from room to room!

Of course I picked the room that needed the MOST work in it to become a cute bedroom for a baby.  The whole room needed some major work on the walls. There is a corner that had some major water damage and needed to be scraped, plastered and sanded. Plus another wall had a crack in the plaster/sheet rock and needed to be fixed. Not to mention all the little tiny divots EVERYWHERE in the walls!

Over the past few months that room has been filled with baby things. My friends Jamie and Michelle keep bringing me loads of baby items! Basically it has just become a dumping ground  for all things baby. But every time I walk in there, a panic attack starts to build and I have to leave! I have a vision for that room, and it does not include gross green paint and a water damaged wall!

Last time Michelle and Jamie dropped a load off, I asked Jamie what he thought could be done about the water damage. Jamie is quite the handy man and quickly said “oh I can fix that”. After a few days of stressing out over the room I called Michelle and asked her if I could borrow Jamie the next time he  was free. She informed me that they were both off on friday and would be at my house by 7:30 am.

Let me tell you, real friends spend 2 of their 3 off days working their butts off in a house that doesn’t even belong to them. Neither one of them have any idea how grateful I am for them and their hard work. In 2 days, Beck’s bedroom went from “oh god, what am I gonna do?” to “almost ready for paint”. I owe those two a bunch of baby sitting… or beer. Or both!

Here are some of the photos from the 1st 2 days of work:

There were two layers of wallpaper and who knows how many of paint!

I haven’t gotten one of the room with the primer on the walls yet. It makes it a much whiter, brighter room! Jamie thinks it needs one more coat of primer, then real paint can go on the walls. Real paint that I haven’t bought yet*. Or really decided on an actual color. I am close, but indecisive. The trim will also be repainted, I think. Once there is paint on the walls, I can move the baby bed from my dining room into Beck’s room.

My Aunt Deb delivered Beck’s bed to me last week. After a funny attempt at getting it from the van into the house, we realized it won’t fit through the door to Beck’s room! That’s ok though, it will just have to be disassmebled and re assembled.

I also have a dresser being delivered today* that I purchased from a lady on Craigs List.
Once these items are in the room, I can start with the real decorating!
So exciting!

-m

*Since the writing of this blog Paint has been purchased and the dresser has been delivered. I will be back to show you more progress pictures this week. Jamie is spending a few of his vacation days this week painting the walls and trim.

My friends are amazing!

I have been gone for way too long

I haven’t fallen off the face of the planet, I promise.

I have a million and one things going on and haven’t had much time (or internet connection) to be here telling you about my boring life! I am still in “new house” mode though not much is really getting done or unpacked!

I promise I will be back soon. (In case you have missed me!)

For now, go over to My Pajama Days and check out the blog roll for the essay contest entries. I entered and my post will be shared with the world mid-march. Though I didn’t win the prize, it was still fun to participate. I can’t wait to read everyone else’s submissions over the next couple of months. After checking out the blog roll you should blog stalk Emily. She has the most amazing way with words and is an amazing mom and role-model.

-m

I am in the new house

Everything is a disaster and I am sleeping on the floor. But I am in it.

The day before I closed, the main water pipe in the front yard busted. foreclosure = as is. So, though I got the keys on Wednesday of LAST week, I just spent my 1st night in it on Tuesday. Fortunately I know a lot of plumbers. So, my main pipe issue was fixed within days! Even better my plumber friend gave me a break on the price of the job. I might have paid him partially in Nintendo games.

Tuesday night I spent 5 hours on my feet, unpacking boxes and washing loads and loads of dishes and laundry. My boxes have been in storage for 7-8 months and every single one of them has been inhabited by a family of mice. EWW. Brian and I ate soup heated up on my new gas stove and shared an upside down laundry basket on the living room floor as our table.

Last night Brian and I grabbed dinner at my favorite Chinese place then headed back to the house to tackle more projects. Well, Brian tackled projects. I opened boxes. Stared into them intently. Then closed boxes. While Brian pulled up staples out of my hardwood floor, I laid in bed and whined about having to unpack. (all the while, not unpacking one thing!) I need someone to motivate me!

Tonight, though winter weather has struck Birmingham again, I am going to spend more money at Wal-Mart. Come hell or high water (or ice and snow) I WILL have groceries. Currently there is one can of soup and some crackers in my cabinet. Maybe when I get home the rest of the staples will be out of the floor and my bed will be in the frame and off of the floor!

I do have to say, it’s been pretty fun to unpack boxes. With each one I find something I forgot I had. Or an album of pictures that make giggle or tear up.

I haven’t had a chance to take real photos of the house yet, but here are some iphone ones!

My house!

http://melissagay.smugmug.com/photos/1176712325_HY39u-L.jpg

built in book shelves <3

http://melissagay.smugmug.com/photos/1176709376_8BGbi-L.jpg

http://melissagay.smugmug.com/photos/1176709542_27aN3-L.jpg

my new little friend that lives outside

http://melissagay.smugmug.com/photos/1176708356_5rzSq-L.jpg

unpacked boxes

http://melissagay.smugmug.com/photos/1176708566_88tAL-L.jpg

stuff to still sort through!

http://melissagay.smugmug.com/photos/1176708719_RD2Qm-L.jpg

Thankfully I have a deadline. That room in the last picture has to be empty by month end so my roomie can move in!

-m

WPC 2011 – week four – colors

When I say that this weeks photo challenge was “colors”, I knew exactly what I was going to do. (Which is a first in a month of “electricity, “joy” and “control”) My week 4 photo challenge is directly related to buying a home.

I sign the papers today. I take ownership of my new home. For a few weeks now I have been staring at paint samples from Lowe’s and Home Depot trying to decide what colors I want in my new home. Currently, the walls are covered in some REALLY obnoxious colors. YELLOW in the living room, RED in the dining room,  and PLUM in the kitchen. It’s the plum I can’t deal with. Of course, all I have done is choose some equally obnoxious colors to replace them. But at least these are MY obnoxious colors.

I took a few moments a few days ago to drag all the samples out and arrange them on my aunts dining room table. I got a few shots that I really liked. But this is the one I am submitting. It’s not perfect, But that Green Gecko will be what covers up the plum. Or maybe the Chopped Chive. (Have I mentioned I am indecisive. And the painting begins tomorrow!)



(I also can’t help but share the other shot I liked. The colors from Home Depot were not my favorite, but made for some pretty colorful shots.)

Life has been upside down and crazy this week. I am so excited to be signing papers today! Here’s to my new home, this wonderful life and a crazy 2011.

-m

Out of pocket, into a new home

I have a feeling that for the next couple of weeks I will be away from this blog. I don’t want to be. I want to write and share my stories with those of you who care to read. I will definitely be here on Wednesdays to post my WPC 2011 for the week. Other than that though, I am probably not going to have time.

As most of you know, I have been “homeless” for going on 7 months. Due to a break up in June and numerous attempts (and failures) to buy a home, I have been living with my Aunt and Uncle, in my cousin’s room. It’s been a blessing to be reminded every day how lucky I am to have the family I have. It’s been amazing to have my aunt “momma” me on a regular basis. I have loved becoming so much closer to my cousin.

It’s been interesting to learn how little you can live with out. 99% of my possessions are in a storage building at my grandparents. Sometimes it has been frustrating to not have a specific purse, craft item, book, etc. I have a feeling when I begin unpacking this weekend it will be like Christmas! I bet I will say “oh I forgot I had that” or “Ohhhh, I missed this!” It’s also been hard to not have my animals with me. I have missed my puppies immensely. It saddens me to know that only one of my babies will be coming home with me next week. Xan will have to attempt his great escapes alone. The squirrels in my new yard will be thankful that Nellie won’t be there to terrorize them.

Sometime this week (hopefully Wednesday) I will be closing on my new home! I still don’t have a close date and time, but hopefully sometime today I will know exactly when. Waiting on lawyers to make a decision is killing me! The past month or so has been spent sending hundreds of emails, digging up old records and paychecks and saving every spare penny I could find. Buying a house is a pain in the rear people! I have been making lists, and choosing paint colors. I am stressing over power, water, gas and my NEED for a flat screen to go above the fireplace. (That one will have to wait!) I have to re-buy all the things you normally have in your home when you move. Cleaning supplies, toilet paper, brooms and mops, soap, detergent, etc. I will be watching my non-existent flat screen from my non-existent couch in my very bare living room. Ha! Fortunately I have fantastic friends who have donated some items I needed. (no one has coughed up a flat screen yet. And no, Sarah, I don’t want your broken one!!)

Through all the stress and tears, there is an amazing sense of accomplishment and pride. I have owned a house before. But this one is mine.  It’s mine to grown in. It’s mine to create new dreams in. I can’t wait to eat dinner at the dining room table my dad is building for me. I can’t wait to hang out with my roomie, Kim, and giggle all the time. I can’t wait to have my people over for Alabama football games in the fall. I look forward to holidays and meeting my neighbors. I am excited about the neighborhood and location.  I can’t wait for the day when, hopefully, I share my life and home with the person I love and want to spend forever with. I love thinking about raising a family under that roof. This house is more than just a house. It is my home.

The next few weeks will be interesting and busy. Hopefully it won’t take much to get settled into my new routine and new bedroom. I can’t wait to sign all those forms and have the keys to my home in my hands!

-m