Nesting

I’ve spent most of the weekend cleaning and organizing, particularly in the second bedroom. Of course, that bedroom has gone through several incarnations in the last year and will obviously change still further as we get various pieces of baby furniture. But at least I can get it to the point that I won’t be rearranging absolutely everything all at once.

I started by alphabetizing all our CD’s. I’ve had a hard time finding a system that works and most recently they’ve been in a double row underneath several small folding tables that have been acting as a console table/headboard along one wall. I spent a good portion of yesterday afternoon sorting them into piles by artist and album title because I firmly believe that "Rent" should be in R, not V for "Various Artists. We went to Ikea last night and bought a bunch of heavy cardboard CD boxes and today I further refined my alphabetizing and sorted them into the boxes and labelled them. Now they are stacked neatly next to our makeshift credenza (formerly a dresser in my bedroom through my entire childhood). Clearly it was a good choice, because Alan didn’t even notice they were there when he first walked in.

We spent a bit more than we intended to at Ikea, because I finally got some bamboo plants along with a pretty holder and rocks to anchor them. It’s sitting prettily on our coffee table. I like having greenery in the house. It’s important to me and just having it in the corner of my eye lifts my spirits. Especially as we move into the brownery of a Colorado autumn. That’s not to say that some of the trees don’t turn, but it’s nowhere near as spectacular as it is in the East because most of the trees here seem to be evergreens (Junipers, Douglas Firs) and aspens. Brilliantly colored, but they only come in yellow. The scrubs oaks just sort of get browner.

I’ve also taken a bunch of the books off the shelves we have in that bedroom. Now what’s left is all child-centered, including my binder of lesson plans and activities and all my early childhood education books, plus picture books of course. The plan right now is to get a cube organizer with a few cloth drawers for toys; a dresser, preferably with a changing table top; and a crib mattress. I’ve probably mentioned that I don’t plan on using a crib, but rather a co-sleeper for 6-9 months, then a mattress on the floor with a baby gate across the doorway. To that end, I’ve also started a registry at Target. There’s not much on it right now, but I wanted to be able to add things as I thought of them. We’ll be able to add more small items once we find out if it’s a girl or a boy. I do know that the decor of the bedroom won’t change much either way. The prevailing colors will be dark wood with light blue. If it’s a girl, there will also be light purple. If it’s a boy, light green. I’m definitely not doing a lot of pink.

Lisa has been doing lots of planning. She has some heirloom pieces that she really wants to send us for the baby, at least for special occasions, and she’s clearly itchy to start quilting. Alan explained that we wouldn’t be doing a crib so she’s going to make a quilt in a more toddler-friendly size. I should probably remind my dad that he needs to make us a mobile. We had an idea ages ago to make a mobile out of the Batman symbol… a "bat-mobile" just because we’re dorks like that. I’m sure we could find a way to attach it to the co-sleeper or even from the ceiling. I just think it would awesome.

I’m feeling much more myself lately. At least emotionally. I’ve been wanting to cook and planning more elaborate meals. I had just been sort of winging it. But that usually results in food boredom. So tonight I’m making a whole chicken. Tuesday, I’ve agreed to make gorgonzola fettucine alfredo with asparagus, a recipe out of the cookbook Kerry sent us (and yes, the gorgonzola is made with pasteurized milk. I checked). And later in the week I’m making little beef pies out of the Harry Potter cookbook. As complicated as some of the recipes are (one cake used literally every mixing bowl in the house… and I have quite a few!) every recipe I’ve tried has come out absolutely delicious. And I particularly enjoy the beef pies. I’m looking forward to them!

About the only realm I can really complain about is sex. ::sigh:: I just haven’t been into it. Poor Alan. It’s just it’s hurt quite a bit lately and has been a bit disappointing. So it’s not like the thought of sex is all that exciting. I tried to explain this to Alan, and I think I managed to convey the fact that it’s my whacked out hormones and not him, because our sex life is normally amazing. I think he got it because he didn’t bug me about it this morning, though I know he wanted to. My libido has picked up a little since losing the morning sickness, but it’s definitely not back to normal.

Oh… and on a completely unrelated topic, we’ve acquired a grill. The Faulks decided that they didn’t want theirs anymore because Kelby hates cleaning it, so he offered it to Alan. When Alan asked him how much he wanted for it, he offered to trade it for our keyboard. So not only do we have the exact propane camping grill that we’ve been coveting all summer and that fits perfectly on our deck, but we’ve managed to get rid of the poxy keyboard too. I think we got the better end of the deal, but then again, they probably think the same thing… And isn’t that the best kind of deal?

Our third anniversary is coming up on Tuesday. It’s hard to believe how much as changed in such a short amount of time. And even better, I would happily marry him again tomorrow. For presents, he gave me a gift card to JoAnn Fabrics and I got him a bottle of vodka that he wanted. Mostly he just wanted it because it comes in a reusable aluminum bottle. He tried the vodka and I guess it wasn’t anything special. Oh well. We’ll just have to invite Kelby over. It’s ridiculous how much alcohol they go through compared to us, even before I got pregnant. Besides, it will probably mix just fine.

I’m still not showing or anything, but I’m starting to be okay with that. It will probably help prevent unwanted belly touching. The first person who touches my belly without asking will lose a finger.

~Liz