Isaiah and Avi's Room

We redesigned the playroom to be a shared space for Avi and Isaiah. I found this cool mural at toys r us.com after much searching and thinking about what wall art I wanted. We painted the ceiling sky blue (picked out by Avi) and the other walls are belgian waffle which is a really cool soothing neutral color that we also have in our kitchen. The coolest thing about the mural is that we were able to create a full wall effect even though the room is a strange layout. It's just enough 'wow' as a centerpiece without feeling too budy when you're hanging out in the room. The light fixture was a pick from Ikea and is on a dimmer and Avi likes to use this as a night light. You can see a little bit of Avi's bed that has an animal print, as well as a canopy leaf that really makes him feel like he's in the jungle. Needless to say, it's much easier to get him to sleep in his own room now.
Okay, so this is the winning Jungle themed crib set! An ebay auction find, I got this for 1/4 the cost of similar products sold at babiesrus and I think it is really cute. I'm not sure how much of this crib Isaiah will actually see but Akil assures me that he'll be sleeping in the crib. :) I got the cute little cheetah rattle from our trip to the San Diego Zoo.

Here's a view of what Isaiah may see. We've got a jungle mobile on our registry that is hopefully more baby friendly. I hope he doesn't think the animals are going to eat him! We will be channeling his African tribal roots with this room. If we're blessed he will be spending most of the time sleeping anyways!

I've been telling him that April 21st would be great day to be born. We'll see if he agrees. Today he put me in a state of serious pain for about an hour at work. I was all laid up on the floor and looking crazy. My doctor research co-workers were all ready to do some doctoring, but I told them it was all good. This is why it's best to work from home some days. I could have soaked in the tub for 30 minutes and gone about my writing.
The walk from my office to the car feels like a marathon, and the thought of driving through rush hour traffic is not a pleasant one.

But let me stop my complaining. I made it this far, and pretty soon all this will be a faded memory! I'll be talking about #3 and you will all think I have lost my marbles!

Glenda

We're not the only New Parents!

Avi wanted something to take care of for his birthday back in January. We decided since we were soon going to have a baby to take care of, we should get something small that he could care for on his own. He made his selection and here is the story of how he became a 'new parent' just like us. I am pleased to report that his babies are still alive and he is a very good papa. You will notice that I took some parenting tips from him. :)

The first step was getting their new room all cleaned up.
Next he decorates it really nicely with colorful and interesting items. (Do you see a theme?)

He makes sure there is enough food to eat and there are toys to keep them stimulated.


Now everything is ready and Hermie and Crabby are ready to enjoy their new home!

Countdown is on!

Isaiah is growing everyday now, and we are all just looking forward to meeting the little guy. We have made it through 72 inches of snow, and I've celebrated my 32nd birthday!
We went to San Diego to celebrate my birthday and even though it was rainy (yes, in southern California) we did manage to have an awesome time and after long days of exciting adventures, my first stop was the hot tub! The boys had a great time, especially flying in the flight simulator.



I guess I'm in the final stages of nesting; cleaning all the baby's gear, signing up for childbirth class, resisting the temptation to buy all the crazy stuff marketed to moms that probably give your kid ADHD instead of making them smart...
I think Akil is also starting to appreciate the reality of a new baby in our life, too. Yesterday he asked me what the bassinet was for. (I'm sure he was thinking: if we have a crib, and a moses basket downstairs, why do we need ANOTHER something for the baby to sleep in?) It was really cute. I can't wait to see him install the car seat for the first time and change his first diaper! I've had my share of moments when I've wondered 'Will I remember how to do this?' I found some triple paste in Avi's cabinet and wondered 'Does this stuff expire?'.
Now that we have all the basics to keep the baby alive and comfortable there's really nothing else to do but wait. I can realistically look forward to the day that my reflux is gone and I can walk a mile without getting a contraction---let alone run. I'm also looking forward to the days to come snuggling up to my little cub smelling his sweet breath, watching him sleep and coo. It's really nice to be without the first time mom anxiety. I can really relax and enjoy every minute of this last month (swollen feet and shortness of breath aside) and dream about how amazing his life will be.
I can't wait for everyone to meet him and I am so glad he's a spring baby so I can take him outside and see the world!

Glenda