I might be clueless on the whole “parenting” thing- but now that I’m solidly in my third trimester, I’ve feel I might have learned a thing or two about pregnancy.*
1. It’s going to get harder before it gets easier.
2. A person CAN live on mac and cheese for three months without dying of scurvy.
3. Waddling and high heels don’t mix.
4. Shoes become much more important when you can’t fit into 98% of the clothes you current own, or would like to own in the near future.
5. Sleeping on your stomach is a luxury that should never be taken for granted.
6. As is the ability to roll over in bed without waking up your significant other, and the tri-county area, for the 50th time.
7. Foods you never thought you’d like suddenly can become the one thing you MUST EAT RIGHTNOWNUMNUMNUM.
8. Elastic-waist bands are fun everyone can enjoy!
9. As your stomach gets bigger, the bladder gets proportionally smaller.
10. Everyone else who has been in your shoes before, or will be after, was probably scared a little too…but that’s no reason to shake your significant other by the lapels and hiss during your childbirth class “I don’t think we thought this through…”
Um…Not that I’ve done that.
*obviously these are the lessons I’ve learned- if your pregnancy has been tougher, or easier- I’m very sorry/happy for you…
It’s starting to look like a room…if you squint a little.
12 weeks, and 2 days.
Let me repeat that.
12 weeks, and 2 days until my due date.
I know, right? Crazy…Wonderful…Scary…Unbelievable-type of insanity.
While the kicking, the bathroom trips, and the belly certainly feel real enough, the whole experience still feels a bit unreal. Maybe our “official” birthing class on Friday and Saturday will help with that.
I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the classes- I’ve only heard about them from my pregnant co-workers. From what I could gather after the smug smiles and furtive looks, a nurse will spend the majority of the time talking about the hospital, the labor process, the drugs available to keep you from screaming too loudly…
And then they show the horrific scientifically-accurate video of childbirth.
You know…the one you’ve been trying to forget from high school health class? But with ten times more detail?
Yeah, that one.
While I believe that childbirth is an amazing process- I also feel I don’t need to see all the fluids that go along with it. I’ll be dealing with my own fluids- I’m good with that.
Do they feel that it’s too late for any kind of illusion for us pregnant women at this point? Might as well shock the innocence out of us BEFORE the baby gets here?
Wish us luck.
Oh sure…he’s cute. He’s fluffy. He’s a national symbol of spring.
He’s also a flower killing machine.
Finally (FINALLY) it was warm enough to get a little work done in the yard- work that was long overdue because of the snow we were hit with before I could finish the yard prep last fall- and what do I discover?
Garden carnage.
The Japanese maple we planted last September? Chewed down to nubs.
The hydrangea that just bloomed last year for the first time? Chewed down to nubs.
My beautiful crimson clematis? You guessed it…chewed down to nubs.
At least the weather was nice.
I hope the little monster enjoyed the feast. Next year, I’ll know better!
First, an explanation-
As you can see in the last post, our new ceilings are going to be at an angle-and consequently wreaking havoc on any lighting we want to install. You can pick out the blue electrical box in the right side of the photo in my last post (it’s a bit like Where’s Waldo- but you get the idea). So what kind of lighting can you install for two of those boxes?
- Flush-mount? The angle may allow it to work- but it would be a bit tricky to get one that doesn’t look out of place and doesn’t accentuate the angle of the ceiling.
- Pendant? That’s an option that I like- unfortunately the pendant would have to be very short so we don’t walk into it every day, and honestly might not give off enough light for the space. Most of the pendants we found are either kitchen table huge or tiny accent lights…neither which worked for us for a bedroom.
- Canister? A good idea, but the rafters to roof area is pretty shallow- and again, we’d need more (a lot more) electrical boxes to fill the space with light. While I love a good accent light, it’s probably not the best idea for getting dressed in the morning.
- Track lights? Another option- but not really my style- or the style of the house.
- Sconces? A possibility, but because it would be so close to the peak of the ceiling, a bit strange looking.
So, what to do? How about a combo of a flush-mount, pendant, and sconce? Maybe something that can have the lighting angle adjusted? Something that directs the light down and out? Oh, and while we’re at it, something a bit “classic” looking without costing an arm and a leg?
Maybe I just am a glutton for punishment…
Two internet search hours later? Success!
Available (but now on backorder) at Restoration Hardware. It’s definitely got an industrial edge to the design- it reminds me a bit of an old work light my dad had by his tool bench- which I kind of like. It also reminds me though of the beach- which I really like. We actually saw something very similar at restaurant in Door County a few weekends ago- in a converted firehouse of all things!
Most of all though, it’s adjustable! Any angle I want- I got!
Ok, go- Opinions? I’m always open to better suggestions!
At least for me. M has been up to his eyebrows in insulation and drywall for about a week now.
On the whole though, it appears as though the attic renovation is going smoothly. We recruited M’s brother, nephew, and friend for the bulk of the work this past Saturday to get the insulation installed (extremely interesting pic of that below) and most of the drywall put up. They did a great job (thanks guys!) and the attic is now starting to look like an actual bedroom.
The tough part?
Me having to sit downstairs while various power tool noises, clunking, and discussions of which drywall screw size would work best, raged over my head.
Now, I get that I should be taking it easy- and that pregnancy and fiberglass don’t mix…but this is the very first house project that I haven’t been involved in completely- muscle/brain power included.
It felt a bit odd. Nice…Lazy… but odd.
This must be what people who can afford to pay actual contractors feel like.
So, how did I cope?
I made myself useful by finding the best light fixtures ever online. At least I’ll be involved in the design portion of the renovation, right?
No? Need a hint?
Ok…just because you all are so nice…
As close friends and relatives have heard recently, I’m hungry.
Always and forever hungry.
I eat breakfast/lunch/dinner, and half an hour later?
Ravenously hungry.
I swear, I’m either giving birth to Godzilla (who will then take out half of Milwaukee) or a full-grown construction worker (who would then help finish up our random projects around the house during his/her coffee breaks).
Needless to say, I’m also starting to feel rather large. The belly is unavoidable- I’m 90% into maternity clothes now- and I’m starting to have difficulty getting myself off the couch without a symphony of grunts and groans.
That being said, a nice young man knocked on our door last night right after we had gotten home. I opened the door, noticed his clipboard, and realized immediately that he was trying to sell something. Normally I’d have the dog attack him or wave my shotgun at him or something, but he was just a pimply faced teenager, so I let him start his spiel…
“Good evening…Are your parents home?”
I really had to bite my lip to not laugh out loud.
M and I decided to spend the weekend away before we threw ourselves into everything baby/nursery renovation next weekend. We were able to snag a great lighthouse to stay in- I just didn’t realize it would light EVERYTHING up when I got up in the middle of the night for the bathroom.
Needless to say, as cool as the experience was, I’m not going to be installing a blinking light to the top of my house anytime soon.
