Where was I this time last year?

I woke up yesterday morning to the chattering sounds of my sweet little boy in his crib. I thought about how awesome life is now and wondered how we filled our days before him. As I lay there in a drowsy state kinda wishing Parker would settle back off to sleep, it hit me I was doing on that morning one year earlier.

On November 5th, 2008 - I woke up very early....around 5am-ish I think....unable to sleep because I had something very important to do that morning and I was a little worried. I tiptoed into the bathroom, closed the door and quietly went about my business. I had prepped everything the night before so all was ready for me.

By 5:15am I had taken two pregnancy tests and both read "PREGNANT". I remember being flabbergasted. Shocked. I sat down on the bathroom floor and couldn't believe it.

One year ago, yesterday morning, I found out Parker was on his way. It was surreal to realize that and hear my little boy chattering in his crib on the other side of our house. Surreal and awesome at the same time.

November 5th was a day that my life changed forever...in the best way possible!

L.

I would SO not make a good bedrest patient

Yesterday I had a bit of a scare during my doctor's visit. I went in, a little earlier than my scheduled appointment because I'd been having contractions, and discovered that my blood pressure was pretty high. Higher than it's been all through my pregnancy. I've been kinda worried that this day might come but had figured I was past the point where I'd really have to worry about it.

Well, after resting, my blood pressure still didn't go down far enough to please the doctor so she sent me over to the hospital for observation and blood work. Well, it took about an hour to just get in there, get settled, answer their questions, get hooked to monitors and have my blood drawn. Ugh! Then they said it would take another hour to get the results from my blood work. I hadn't had breakfast and it was lunch time...I was about to die! Luckily my nurse took pity on me and brought me a lunch menu so I ordered some lunch. Lunch came about 1pm, I'd arrived around 11:40am, and I didn't get the results from my blood work until between 3 and 3:30pm. I was so freakin' bored out of my mind that I thought I was going to go batty! The only thing on TV was the Michael Jackson memorial and I am so oversaturated with MJ coverage that I couldn't stand watching it. Also, I discovered that watching "A Baby Story" on TLC really isn't as entertaining when you're in the hospital hooked to monitors in a labor and delivery room! Thankfully my blood work results were all good and my observation went well so nothing further was needed to be done.

The doctor did send me home with strict instructions - no more work, rest, stay off my feet as much as possible and stay out of the heat. Not too hard...I can handle that!

I have to say that not having to worry about work has been one of the greatest gifts. I slept really well last night have abided by her orders to the letter!

I will keep everyone updated for when Parker arrives...he's being stubborn and slow so we might be waiting for a while. :-D

No news - the waiting game continues

Well....we're one week away from my due date. 7 measley days. I'm actually hoping that tonight or tomorrow will be the magical time. It's a full moon tomorrow and we all know that full moons bring out the crazy people and cause preggos to go into labor. I don't wanna jinx myself, but I just haven't felt right today. My tummy is really tight, my lower back hurts and the baby is really, really low!

I've been having some stern conversations with my son this weekend about how his father and I are very ready for him to come and that we can't wait to see his little face. His father has had conversations with him urging him to come out of the womb and into the room! This weekend didn't see much activity - only random Braxton Hicks contractions. Today....today feels different somehow. We'll see if it means anything. I have an OB appt tomorrow late in the day so we'll see what she says and see if I've made any progress.

In other news....can I tell you how oversaturated I am with all this Michael Jackson stuff? I mean, seriously....I've had enough of it. Shooter and I pulled into our local pharmacy yesterday and discovered that the sign out front was rigged to stay on the message, "We'll miss you, Michael J!!!!!!!" I nearly gagged. I've contemplated going to the pharmacy website and emailing them a complaint. Eh, it's probably my grouchy pregnancy hormones taking over my otherwise easy going self.

Okay....since I've been writing this....I'm feeling more and more uncomfortable and weird. Maybe it was my sandwich for lunch....then again, maybe it's labor. Let's all pray that it's the latter!

Hopefully the next time I return it'll be with pictures of baby Parker!

July 7th??????

I just looked up the next full moon and it happens to be on July 7th....Could that be the day??!!??!

Personally, I don't care. I'm not one of those hyper pregnant women who've planned out their birthing experience to the letter. I figure things will go awry and we'll have bumps along the way. I only have three things I'm particular about -
1 - GIVE ME DRUGS!
2 - I really don't want to be induced.
3 - I really don't want a C-section.

Other than those three - I'm flexible and willing to go with what the doctor says.

Oh....this weekend we did get the car seat installed...I think. It was a painful process. One that caused many tears and gnashing of teeth. We have a compact car, even though it's a sedan, and the seat barely fits in the backseat and barely allows room for the adult passengers up front. I think Shooter finally figured it out but I think we'll have to be shopping for a bigger replacement car here soon. I vote for a Honda CRV! :-)

I am 37 weeks along today - Parker is considered full-term and can come any day! I'm ready for him to come on the personal, emotional and physical front however not so ready on the professional/work front. I need this week to get things in order and ready to go. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I have another sonogram to confirm that he has migrated heads down (I really think he has) and see how big he is. After that I go see my OB and my guess is we'll create our battle plan depending on where he is and his size.

Whew! Let's get this show on the road!!!

Still waiting....

Ha!

Have I ever mentioned that I'm not a really patient person? During the 10 months that it took Shooter and I to get pregnant with Parker I was one of the most impatient people ever. Every month I was filled with "whys" and "why nots". Questioning and wondering.

Once we finally got pregnant I was so super excited but impatient for each new milestone in my pregnancy. Now I'm impatient for the arrival of my little boy. I'm anxious to see his face and nibble his little baby toes and kiss on his round baby belly.

Apparently he's not as impatient to see me. Ha!

I'll be 37 weeks on Monday and finally considered full term. He, according to my doctor today, seems to have turned head down and is in position. So now he holds all the cards! It's in God's timing and Parker's need to come visit us.

I'm actually thinking it might be next weekend. Not sure why but I have that in my head for some reason. We'll see, my mother's intuition so far has been pretty spot on.

I'll have to get some photos taken because this baby belly is OUT OF CONTROL!

Also, I owe you more pics of the jungle that my tomato plants have become. It's crazy! I've started harvesting them and oh they're so tasty!!!!!!

Later!
L.

Starting the waiting game!

I know I've been a bad blogger....almost another two weeks has passed without a post from me. I do apologize...it just seems to me like I don't really have anything new to post. The heartburn remains....the thank yous remain unwritten...the doctors appointments keep coming...work is winding down...I'm still tired...blah blah blah. See nothing interesting to write!

BUT...today...we went and purchased our infant car seat carrier and stroller. We, as in Shooter and I, have been debating the merits of full sized strollers, lightweight strollers, travel systems and such until we just can't take it anymore. Finally we just decided that we'd get a nice lightweight stroller and a separate infant carrier rather than a bulky travel system. We ended up with this:


We decided on getting the Maxi-Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat and the Maxi-Cosi Perle stroller. I have a coworker who has this and she just LOVES it...I can see why...the thing turns on a dime and is lightweight and folds up into nothing. The carrier is not the lightest on the market but it's also way lighter than some others out there.

We have it put together and sitting in Parker's room...no we're just waiting. We need to install the base into my car and then we're all systems go.

I have felt like he's turned and settled down a lot in the last few days. I'm feeling him all out in front of me and his movements are more rolling than the punches and kicks from a few days ago. I feel the little swirls down low and the kick like feelings up high, which leads me to believe that he has decided to head south. I hope so...I DO NOT want a cesearean delivery.

I am having to eat super small meals about 2-3 hours apart because I just have no room in my stomach anymore. Part of it is that I am fighting morning sickness again which is a pain in the butt. I woke up the other night, nauseaous, couldn't go back to sleep and went to the nursery to just sit and sip on a Coke until it passed. I figured it won't be long until I'm doing that but nursing the baby instead of a Coke. :-)

I hope everyone is doing well...I know we're hanging out and just waiting for the "I think it's time" go signal. :-)

Later!
L.

Doctors, jury duty and heartburn....

Okay...so I'm going to address three things that are conspiring against me these days.

#1 - Heartburn!!!!

I have never in my life experienced such horrific, terrible, noxious, unbelievable heartburn as I have been experiencing over the last week. One day it'll be fine and then then next it'll be so bad I feel like I'm about to vomit all the time. Last night it was so bad that after downing about 9 tums in a 3 hour period, I had to prop myself up in bed in order to get 4.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If this is preparation for sleep deprivation...I'd rather it wait another few weeks until I can get my work life situated, please! It's always nice when your boss comes in, takes a look at you, and says, "Boy, you look tired today." *sigh*

#2 - Jury Duty

I got called in for jury duty in the Superior Court of the county I live in. Can I just say that they are pretty unorganized as far as courts go. I have always been called to serve where you just call a number the night before and find out if you need to go in or if you're dismissed, etc. Well not in my county! They call in all 300 or so of us and then choose 40-50 to go to jury selection then release us - but we have to be back the next day. The next day they call in 40-50 more folks...same process over again. I think anyway....I had been pestering the poor ladies at the court because I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and another one today and would have to be let go early to get to them. They finally took pity on me yesterday and made the executive decision to excuse me for the week. Woo Hoo!

#3 - Doctors
Okay...so I completely freaked out about my regular OB calling me and her being concerned about my amniotic fluid level. Well....turns out that my Perinatologist wasn't concerned at all about my original level number and it was even higher today. Both readings well in the normal range although on the high end. She was not concerned....so therefore I am not concerned. My perinatologist is amazing and I love her to death. She could say the world was flat and I think I'd believe her. Ha! Anyway, all looks great with Baby Parker. He's about 5 pounds 11 ounces and has peach fuzz on his round little head! He was also breech today, but that could change at any time as he has so much room to wiggle around in. I think my placenta decided to give him a suite. We have a follow up with my perinatologist in three weeks to do another set of measurements and get a fluid level measurement and also check and see where the boy has decided to orient himself in his cozy little home. I do not want to go through the process of trying to turn him so if he's still breech at 37 weeks we'll likely be scheduling a C section delivery of the bubs. Amazing!!!

L.

I didn't even realize I was stinky!

:-)

Over the Memorial Day weekend my family in Tennessee threw me and Parker a baby shower. It was so fun to be with everyone...and also a good friend of mine from childhood.

The food was spectacular! My Granny's pimento cheese is to die for!!!!





Here I am posing with the plate from the baby shower.




Here is the obscene display of gifts.





My cousin Amanda is so crafty. She made this cute as pie diaper cake for us!




This is my Aunt Jane. She's my Mom's oldest sister and hosted the shower at her house. I cannot thank her enough for all the hard work she put into the event. It was so perfect!





The faces you can see are my Aunt Mary, my Mom's youngest sister, and my Cousin Lori, she's married to one of my cousins. The face you can't see is my, hmmm, well it's my Mom's cousin Jenny, I suppose that makes her my second cousin?




In this shot from left to right is my Aunt Carol, my cousin Paula, Jenny, Mary and Lori.




Here's the other side of the room - my friend Kelly, my cousin Kate, my Aunt Dana, my Mom, and my Granny.




Here's me with the baby bedding.




My cousin Amanda had this cute outfit made for baby Parker. I can't wait to see him in it!!!




Amanda also had this gorgeous diaper bag monogrammed for him too. It's perfect and I can't wait to use it either.




Cousin Lori got Parker this snuggly little bear and the basket that matches the baby bedding. Her son Nick got Parker the piggy bank, it's positively adorable!!




After I had wrecked havoc on the gifts, my cousin Amanda brings out these huge bags for my Mom to open, so Mom will be "the coolest grandma on the block". Amanda is a garage sale queen and picked up all kinds of toys and books for Mom to keep at her house for when Parker comes to visit!


A good time was had by all and I have to thank all my aunts, cousins and my sister-in-law for all the hard work they put into making the shower perfect!

Later!
L.

The nursery - nearing completion!

This last week my Mom has been staying with us and helping me get the nursery in order. After day two, this is where we stood.

Mom and I found this great side table at Target and it matches the furniture that we had purchased perfectly!




We got all the bedding out and decided that we would use the blanket as a wall hanging so that it can be displayed.





Here's the crib with the bedding all in it. I'll have to snap some better pics of it.





I added some of my wall decals to the wall too. They are so darn cute and really make a difference to the room.





Here's one of the shelves that we got at Ikea. Unfortunately we had a bit of a mishap with the other one and shortly after this Shooter got it put back up. Also, you can see the cute sign that we had made for Parker's nursery.




It's coming along and actually looks sooooooo much better today. I will snap a few pics and definitely post them.

Later!
L.

Seriously...where has time gone?

Okay...I just realized that it's been something like 16 days since my last blog posting and some of
you are probably wondering what has happened to me.

Well, nothing really....life has just happened....

Time seems to have sped up considerably and each day passes at mach speed. I feel like the Millennium Falcon whipping through the universe with the stars streaking past me.

I have honestly been spending much time stressing about this pregnancy, what's going to happen after the baby is born, and just dealing with a lot of stuff.

I am now starting to feel some of the amazingly wonderful symptoms of pregnancy too. My ankles are swelling to phenomenal proportions and I've had to ditch my wedding rings. My belly is poking outward at an alarming pace and the baby is growing and kicking like crazy.

Basically everything is great with the baby...we think....I would have said that unequivocally yesterday however today I received a call from my nurse indicating my OB wasn't happy with the results from my sonogram last week. She said my amniotic fluid level was a little high, 21.62 where 21 is the high end of normal. I go in next week for another sonogram at my high risk doctor's office so hopefully the news will be better.

I did have my first baby shower over the weekend and my second one this afternoon. I'll be posting pictures from this weekend and also the progression of the nursery over the course of the next few days. And I promise to try to be better about posting. :-)

Later!
L.

Am I really ready?

Whew...is it really Monday again? I mean, seriously....where do these weeks keep going....because I'm kinda ready for them to slow down a bit!

Today marks 30 weeks in my pregnancy with Parker. I'm just amazed and flabbergasted to be honest. For the longest time I never saw myself as a mother. I wasn't really the nuturing kind and Shooter and I were dealing with our own issues and trying to keep our rocky marriage afloat. This was for a big majority of our (close to be) 10 year marriage.

Suddenly, however, Christmas 2007 marked a change for both Shooter and I. We felt different and we felt like we were ready to be parents. We have grown up, our marriage had grown up and we were ready for an additional family member. Becoming parents kinda remained an idea we were ready for but seemed so far off as we kept trying....month after month. It was something we wanted but couldn't really grasp.

In November 2008 we found ourselves faced with the reality of becoming parents. There were the first three months where we were scared senseless that we'd lose our precious baby. Then the second three months where we were scared senseless that something would be wrong with our precious son. Now I'm in the last of the three months and reality is seriously hitting me...I'm going to be a mother!!!!

Today begins our 10 week countdown to Parker's due date and I'm beginning to find myself overwhelmed with all that lies ahead of me. I'm a list person but I have avoided making a list when it comes to what we need to do to get the nursery ready. I just don't want to face it...so I'm ignoring it. That's my way. :-) Luckily my Mother isn't and she's devising a plan as we speak for keeping me on track. She's so ready for her grandson to get here she just about can't see straight. She's spurring me on toward making the list that I need to create and then start working it.

So here goes:

* Clean out closet in nursery - donate appropriate items and trash the rest
* Buy shelf liner for drawers in nursery dressers
* Write thank you notes
* Clean out guest room and move appropriate items to sunroom/kitchen/master bedroom
* Organize the top of the linen closet
* Buy shelves for the nursery
* Buy bookcase for the nursery
* Decide if I'm doing Parker's name in wood letters for the wall in nursery
* Organize master bedroom closet - make room for clothes in storage
* Find coordinating tablecloths and valances for kitchen
* Wash sheers in living and dining room
* Clean out the garage - donate appropriate items and trash the rest
* Get my "Go Bag" ready for the hospital

I know this is only scratching the surface. This is just the stuff I need to do AT HOME. This doesn't count all the stuff I have to do at work to get ready to be out for 14 weeks. Okay...I'm getting hysterical just thinking about it.....gotta do some deep breathing and calm down. I have 10 weeks to go...we can get this all accomplished....I can do it! :-)

Am I really ready? I don't know....I'm pretty sure I'm not...but I'm as ready as I can be....as ready as you can ever be.

L.

It's Wednesday and all is well.....

Whew...where is the time flying to?!??!?!


I know...I need to get pictures of the new kitchen up and I promise I'll do that this week! Shooter proclaimed that it was officially finished this week...and it is...for the most part. ha! We have some touching up to do on the paint and whatnot....and I need to shop for the decorative lady touches to the room...but the hard stuff is complete. And it looks awesome!


Baby Parker has been kicking up a storm here recently. Yesterday he was doing the rolling flips in my belly and I called Shooter over to feel the body part he was sticking out at us. Shooter was pretty freaked out but thought it was cool at the same time. Parker's regularly now sticking something out...either a butt or an elbow or a knee or something. Definitely hard to distinguish but it's definitely him.


I went in for my glucose tolerance test today - I'll know the results on Friday - hopefully it'll come back with good results. I definitely don't want to have to do the three hour ordeal. Ugh! My blood pressure is still great...which is a relief...and my weight gain is still awesome. So far I've only gained 10 pounds and only gained 1 pound over the last 4 weeks. I'm really proud of myself - and I need that confidence as I head into the part of my pregnancy where I'll start gaining more because of the baby growing but also because of water retention. Hopefully I won't swell too badly...I'm not swelling at all so far so hopefully that's a good sign. The PA that I saw today wasn't worried about my lack of weight gain because I'm measure about a 1/2 week ahead...measuring 29 weeks whereas I'm 28 weeks and 2 days today.


I'm really starting to get excited....today we talked about when I have to stop traveling more than an hour away from the hospital...and that begins after Memorial Day weekend! Luckily that's the weekend we have my family shower planned in East Tennessee so I can then stay around the house nesting and getting all that stuff tucked away for our little man.


Can I tell you that looking at the calendar has me really anxious. I realize that my next appointment will be at 30 weeks!!!!!! My next ultrasound will be at 32 weeks!!!!!!! After that I'll only have 8 weeks until Parker's due to arrive. I don't think I can even explain to you just how fast this pregnancy has gone for me. Time has flown and I'm afraid that it'll fly by once he's here too. I wanna hang on to the new baby smell and little baby feet for as long as I can!


*sigh*

I'm just going to take it a day at a time and enjoying everything. Shouldn't that be how you always live?

Later lovelies!
L.

Where in the world did that come from?!?!?!

27 week pregnant belly



Okay...the other day I looked down and couldn't believe my eyes. Sometime in the last few days my belly popped, AGAIN! Parker's growing like crazy and moving all over the place and my belly is sticking out farther and farther. I decided today that I'd wear one of my tighter camis under a sweater and show it off. I'm to the point where I'm like, why not....I'm sticking out there...might as well show it. ;-) I said that to my Mom and she's all like, well, Laura, you're 7 months pregnant...you should be showing! :-)

Things are going well....we're getting the house back in order slowly but surely....Shooter is working on the kitchen cabinets as I type up this post. It's all going to look so great.

Also, I realized on Monday that it was three months exactly until my due date. That was a bit sobering. :-)

I have also decided that I adore being pregnant....except for the indigestion, heartburn and gas. I'm a friggin' gas factory....if I'm not burping, it's coming out the back end. It's nearly unbearable. I do feel sorry for Shooter too. It seems like that it's either been me or Morey with the toxic gas over the last three weeks. I think he secretly sleeps with a gas mask. :-)

I hope all has been well with you!

L.

Honey, could you measure this for me?

So, Sunday morning Shooter and I decide to take a break and play hookey from church. We had so much to do we just thought it better to stay home and get it done. Well, Shooter had to go to Lowe's and buy more rollers to paint with so he went off while I puttered around the house.

I get a phone call - it's Shooter calling me from Lowe's, and he needs verification on the height of our baseboard molding. Well, I go and hunt down the measuring tape and then try measuring it. I grunt and I huff and I try to read how tall it is....I can't figure it out. The tape measure sticks out about an inch and a half from the wall and I can't read the darn thing!

Shooter keeps asking me to try so I finally yell at him and say, "Fine, I'll lay down here on the floor and try to read this thing. You'll probably find me still laying here like a big old whale when you get home cause I couldn't get back up." After he laughs at me, he said that he'd just buy the 3.25" molding and that should be fine.

I should have just kept laying on the floor......

But it was cold.......

And I was hungry........

Men! Sheesh! I don't think he's figured out yet that my range of motion is highly limited right now. I have to sit on the bed to get my pants on....and that still takes some work. Tying shoes is another activity I have taken for granted all my life. I need to go find me some slip on sneakers for this summer.

L.

Nesting - I think it's officially happening to us!

Okay....we've just finished updating/painting/furnishing/etc. the nursery. Actually, it's not even really finished yet as we haven't had any showers yet and I still have other whatnots I want to buy - a bookcase and various shelves and stuff.

Several weeks ago when our new fridge was delivered I tore off the wallpaper behind the fridge and it came off so easily. Shooter and I had been talking about re-doing the kitchen for a while but we didn't think we'd get to it before the baby came. Well, we managed to get through the nursery re-do ahead of schedule so we figured that we'd hop right on the kitchen re-do while we were at it.

I saw an opportunity last week as I was looking at the wallpaper and saw a seam coming apart. This time I grabbed hold and started ripping. It came off in this huge sheet...glue backing and all. That evening we got what remained of the glue backing off really quickly. I think the wall took all of 15 minutes to do.

Shooter stopped by Sherwin Williams to get me two sample paint colors and now we just have to figure out what color we want to do!

If you're interested, we've decided to go with Atmospheric from Sherwin Williams. It's a gorgeous light blue color that will change the look of the kitchen dramatically. I cannot wait to get this project finished either!

L.

The nursery (aka Mini Man-Cave) - during (Part II)

Well, the changes keep coming to the Mini Man-Cave! Soon it's going to look like a bonafide nursery, ahem, man-cave suitable for the little mini-Shooter on the way!

Remember that light fixture? Here's the new one that we put up (Thanks Baty!):




We're going to set the changing table/dresser against that far wall.



I have a really nice open bookcase picked out that I want to put along this wall. It's big enough to put baskets on the bottom shelf to store things and also store Parker's books and other odds and ends...like binkies and such.



I think we've decided that the glider will go in this area. See that dresser, I'm hoping that it'll fit perfectly into the back of the closet so that I can use it for hidden storage. :-)



We're going to set the crib up in this area. Very likely crosswise in this corner. I can't wait to see how it looks in there!



Not sure what we'll do here in this area....I'm thinking I may take the quilt that comes with his bedding set and use it as a wall hanging...this would be a pretty good place for it.


Anyway....as you can see, the progress keeps moving along!

The evolution of the "Man Cave"

I was notified by Shooter that the Man Cave has been officially dismantled. I agreed with him as it's now being turned into a nursery, duh!

Well, Shooter has decided that he doesn't want Parker's room to be called "The Nursery" any longer.

He thinks the room has been, and always should be, a man cave. Only change is that now with Parker it'll be the......













.....wait for it........













Mini Man Cave!

Personally, I love it. I think that's what we'll call it from now on. I have even contracted with a gal on Etsy to have have to have a little sign made to put on the door that says "Parker's Mimi Man Cave". :-) On the other side it says "You wake him, You take him!". hehehe!

L.

Nothing like a little supervision!

This is where the dogs and I supervised the nursery re-do. We're very helpful and offer lots of decorating advice.

Side note - poor little Morey, the one laying down with floppy ears, was suffering from a "raging" (doctor's words) urinary tract infection in this photo and we didn't know it. Poor dude started peeing some blood late on Saturday and we took him to the vet immediately on Sunday. The doctor said she had never seen so many crystals in a dog's urine sample before. He's doing better now that he's been on his antibiotics and drinking lots of fluids (a mix of chicken broth and water...he's frickin' spoiled rotten).

L.

The nursery - during (Part I)

Shooter decided that I didn't need to be anywhere near the nursery while he was painting...so he relegated me to house cleaning duty. I didn't mind, really! That meant that I got to clean the kitchen, mop the floors, sweep the rest of the house and then play on Facebook and watch cooking shows. :-) I'm pregnant after all!!!

Shooter plugged in his iPod and went to work. I have to say that it was pretty cute hearing him singing from the living room. :-)

He really worked hard in getting it all done and by the end of the day had trimmed out the ceiling and gotten two good coats of paint on the walls.

While I came in to take pictures, the dogs took a moment to give everything a good sniff test.

Doesn't the taupe give it such a warmer feel? It's going to look so awesome when it's finished!

Shooter has been working on priming the baseboards, trim and doors - and that's finished as well! I helped out by taping the wall by the baseboards and the trim so that we can put the final touches on it. We're getting there!!!!

L.

The nursery - before

The nursery was previously Shooter's man cave. He reluctantly graciously offered up his room for Baby Parker. Here he is working on the last bits of wallpaper border remaining on the walls. There was a really bad nice mint green floral border that the previous owners had bequeathed us and unfortunately it had to go because it just didn't go with our nursery bedding.

This is the light fixture in the room, it's coming down and will be replaced by a nice new one from Lowe's!

Here's Shooter...preparing to get to work! He's getting some help from Big Ed. Oh...and a side story...if you are ever in the Knoxville/Oak Ridge, Tennessee area you HAVE to go to Big Ed's for some pizza. It's a local landmark and has been around for decades. My parents used to go there when they were in high school.

Here are the blank, drab, oh so minty fresh walls of the nursery before the wonderful, warm paint hit them. You can see that this room is BEGGING for a makeover!

I mean, look at that sad bamboo shade! Shooter had a sheet hanging from parachute cord to cover that window. We're so redneck. Oh...and see the magnanimous outlet on the wall? Yea, the previous owners had a super duper outlet put in so that they could put in a tanning bed. Yea........

Well, you've seen the nursery before....over the course of the next week or so I'll show you the transformation!

L.