Nursery Reveal

Not much going on here, except we had a baby 3 weeks ago!!! Hardy Stovall Wilson was welcomed into the world August 6th, at 6:23pm. He weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces and was 20 inches long. We're all doing wonderfully. Sorry, (not really) for not posting any pics. The hubby and I decided we didn't want any pics of him posted on social media or the internet. I will post on that another day. According to Facebook, my hubby isn't even a father yet. He hasn't posted anything about it. So I guess therefore it's not even official. But I digress...

When we found out we were having a boy, the first thing I had to do was rethink all my nursery plans. Let's face it, I thought we were having a girl. I had to throw out my plans of pink walls and floral shabby chic like bedding. Looking back on it now, I can't believe I wanted a girl. I love having a boy and I love that I got to design a boy nursery. I knew that I wanted his room to be traditional and to look like a baby's room. I loathe the idea of a cutesy room with bright colors and chevron stripes (seriously, is the chevron trend over yet?) that looks like a "big boy" room. I feel that with boys you only get so much time to have a baby. He has his whole life to have a grown up room and wear polos and khakis. (Yes, I am southern to the core and think it's perfectly fine for baby boys to wear smocked and monogrammed outfits, not to mention gowns.) So, I decided to go a more old-fashioned route with his nursery. Without further adieu: 

 Not sure why this one is a little blurry.

My mom made the curtains.

The bookshelf is from Target.

My friend Ashley made the banner for my shower.

My mom made the canopy as well. Hard to see, but the fabric is a blue and white stripe ticking.

My in-laws got us the chair from Buy Buy Baby (awesome store, not sure why Memphis doesn't have one they drove to St. Louis to get it)

The crib is from my parents and from Babies R Us.

 

My old changing table refinished. 

Antique cabinet from my grandmother's house. I've used it previously as a pantry, in my closet and to store craft supplies. 

I have always wanted a vintage Winnie the Pooh nursery, but I didn't want it to be overkill. So, I have Pooh accents throughout.

I ordered the print from Etsy, and spray painted a Dollar Store picture frame.

The wooden Pooh was mine growing up and the shelf is from Walmart.com 

Christopher asked if these were mine from when I was a baby. No, I was in 8th grade. Always have loved Pooh! 

Christopher's grandfather, Edward Hardy Green circa 1924, is on the left.

My grandfather, Cleo Cloys Stovall circa 1912 in on the right.  

A close up of the changing table. 

Love this mobile that my sweet friend Sandy gave us. 

Pillow my mom also made.

The bumper is from Restoration Hardware. 

Stuffed animals from when I was little.  

This sweet bunny was given to us by a man Christopher works with. It's Jelly Cats and from Cotton Tails here in Memphis. I found out from one of the girls who works there, he went in and picked it out himself, not his wife. I love that!

This was Christopher's rocking chair.

These pictures were taken by our dear friend, Kayce. 

Given to us by my in-laws, also from Babies R Us.  

 

My friend Jill's husband, Alan drew this for us. Everyone at my shower put their thumbprint on it and signed it. So sweet!

 

And here is what the room looked like before it was a nursery:

I was never crazy about it. I love the furniture, it was my great-grandparents' and mine growing up. However, the wall color didn't turn out right, (it was not supposed to look so putrid) and I never hung any pictures really or put out knick knacks I liked. It wasn't the inviting guestroom I wanted. Of course, my mom and maybe 2 others were the only people who ever stayed in it. I guess there's always the next house, right?



 

Princess Charlotte



Isn't she a gorgeous baby?!



Kate and William welcomed their beautiful princess into the world the other day. Unless you have been living under a rock, you know this. I'll admit I love keeping up with the royal family. I think it's because we haven't had anyone in the family to love since Diana. Kate is my generation's Diana and it's just fun to keep up with them. And let's face it, she's a lot more classy of a celeb to follow than those dang Kardashians. (I could dedicate a whole other blog on how much I can't stand them.) I love to check out what Kate's wearing and would give my eye teeth to have her maternity wardrobe!


What I don't understand is all the backlash Kate's getting from people on social media. Before I go any further let me preface the rest of this post with this: Yes, I know I am going to sound like a hypocrite for posting anything about not judging celebrities. There's nothing I enjoy more than talking about how certain celebs are ruining the world, or how stupid I think they are. Hence my comment above about the Kardashians. So, no need to call me out on it. I've already recognized this. With that being said, I don't understand why people are saying so many negative things about Kate.



I love how happy they look in this picture. And, you'll notice that's a loose dress. I'm guessing because she didn't want anything close to her crotch! 


First off, people are going on and on about how did she make herself look so great. Then they make comments like "must be nice to have a hair and makeup team to fix you up," and so on and so on. Come on people, did you expect her to come out in a ponytail, yoga pants and no makeup? If she did, then you'd all be saying "I can't believe the wife and mother of the future King(s) of England couldn't put a little effort into her appearance." Kate is not a "regular" celebrity. She's royalty. There are certain expectations of her she has to meet. I mean for crying out loud, the Queen has a list of things you can and can't do in her presence. For instance, did you know you never say "loo" or "bathroom" in front of her? You have to ask for a "comfort break." So did you ever think that maybe Kate doesn't get a choice in how she appears after the princess was born. Also, Kate is not a big person. She has a body we'd all calorie count and work out for hours for and probably never achieve. (God gave her great genes.) So, that makes it a lot easier to look good post-baby. She never looked fat even 9 months pregnant! She did have natural childbirth, so she's also not going to have that groggy look and can walk a lot easier since the lower half of her body was never numbed.


Everyone's talking about how bad they felt after they gave birth. Um, nowhere that I've seen said that Kate felt amazing. Y'all know she's got on a major maxi pad on under that dress and is probably thinking  "as soon as this is over I can get home and put on my royal Lulu Lemon yoga pants and lie down." Again, she has certain expectations to meet. Someone expected to take a "comfort break" isn't going to come out and say, "Natural childbirth is a bitch! My vagina feels like it was ripped open!" Just saying...


Everyone is in shock about how she went home the same day. Hello!!! If you could have the same round-the-clock care you get in the hospital from the comfort of your own home, wouldn't you take it? I would! My own bed? Yes, please!


That's just my take on things. I also don't remember anything like this being said when she had George. 

You can see that bump! Good for her!

I'd just like to end on this: What is wrong with caring about your appearance? In a few months, I will be giving birth. I won't have the luxuries that Kate had. However, I plan on fixing my hair and makeup before I have visitors and before going home. Borrowing that there are no major complications and I don't feel like utter crap. Now, I don't want to hear anyone say "just you wait, once you've done it you'll think differently." Blah, blah, blah. Like I said, borrowing no major complications. I KNOW myself better than anyone. I'm the girl who likes to be fixed up. It's just who I am. You might be the girl who doesn't. Or maybe it's not always a major priority. That's ok. That's the girl you are. I don't judge you for it. So don't judge me, or Kate.

Woah, baby! Part II

A little while ago, I posted this about being pregnant. Let me follow up with a few other thoughts.


1) Men are WAY more complimentary and positive than women when it comes to pregnant women.

My friend had a baby a few weeks ago, and I took her family dinner. Her husband says "How are you feeling?" Followed by "Well, you look great." This is clearly a man who has been through this three times. He gets it. He knows what to say. A salesman at the furniture store the other day told me I didn't even look pregnant (and yes, this normally bothers me but I had a baggy tunic on and he doesn't know what I look like normally). I told him I was 6 months and he said, "Wow, you must've been tiny before." To which I responded, "You must work on commission." Turns out he doesn't. And maybe it's just flattery and these compliments aren't sincere, but they're nice to hear. Take a cue from these gentlemen the next time you speak to a pregnant lady.

2) People (unfortunately, especially women) love to be negative.

It amazes me what people's responses are when I say we're having a boy. They LOVE to tell you how hard boys are to potty train. I've also been told umpteen times how I will be on the go 24/7 because boys don't sit still, are rowdy, are into everything, etc. One person even went so far as to text me at 6:45 IN. THE.  MORNING. to tell me that boys love mud. If this had been followed by a picture of her son covered in mud, I might find this funny and/or cute. But, she didn't. I took some time to respond, to make sure I wasn't a total you-know-what (I mean, really 6:45 in the morning? I think on a weekday any text before 7 is not acceptable. Weekend? 9. Unless we are super close friends, there's an emergency or you're texting me to tell me that I just won the lottery. But I digress...) I finally responded with "Really? I had no idea." Her response, "Well, you had a brother I didn't." So, you know I had a brother so why are you telling me this in the first place? Ugh. Speaking of, yes, I have a brother. I am also almost 7 years older than him so I remember quite a bit from when he was little. But even if I didn't, I live in the world don't I? I've been around boys and men and I think I have a pretty good grasp of what they're like. By the way, my husband is not a fan of getting muddy or dirty. When he painted our nursery, not one drop of paint on him. Me on the other hand? Don't mind it. So, that just shows that stereotypes are not always true.

The negativity doesn't just apply to pregnant women either. A dear friend of mine is getting married in September. She is thinking about getting a wedding dress that's a different color other than your traditional white. Cool, huh? As y'all know I love weddings and I have planned them and can tell you in this day in age anything goes. You DO NOT have to abide by all the traditions if you do not want to. One of her bridesmaids made it very clear she hates this idea. Who cares? It's not your wedding. No one will make you wear it. So, shut up and move on.
3) Anyone who has ever had a baby is an expert and they will tell you exactly what you need to do while pregnant and/or after the baby arrives.
A few weeks ago, my friend Lisa and I met for coffee. We met at 11, which is close to when I eat lunch so I decided I'd have a snack as well. I brought a bag of kettle chips to the register. The barista told me to put them back.
Me: "Why? Is there something wrong with them?
Barista: Put those back, you don't need those."
Me: "Well, I want them."
Barista: "Put those back and get popcorn. It's better for you. You don't need chips."
WHAT??? I'm sorry, but did you leave your OB/GYN practice to work at Starbucks? Does it say MD on your nametag and I somehow missed it? I know it sounds like she was joking, but trust me (or as Lisa) she wasn't. This went on for a few minutes. I finally told her I was getting the chips with my peach green tea lemonade. Then the 2nd barista (who I know has a 9 month old, so she's of course and expert) asks me what I got to drink. Now, I know she's asking me this because I had already been in there earlier that morning for my chai. So I told her don't worry, I track my caffeine I know what I'm allowed to have. She tells me that's not it, it's my sugar I should worry about because I probably have too much with my chai. SERIOUSLY. ARE  YOU MY DOCTOR?!
But it gets better...
After I order, I tell Lisa I will carry her adorable, little red-headed baby over to a table in her carrier. I joked about how I needed to prepare my arms for carrying a baby in a car seat. The  minute I picked it up both baristas get on to me about how I'm not supposed to lift heavy things. I told them that the max to lift was 40 lbs and I was fine. But, good grief! Mind your own business people! By the way, I have several friends who have been pregnant with babies they have to carry so what do they do?
Lisa and I are outside chatting and I am happily eating my chips, when the chip Nazi comes outside to leave and starts talking (like she's the baby) and says "Mommy, I need sunglasses. It's too bright out here for me." Lisa just tells me that she just loves how people give advice like they're her daughter and I will find people doing this to me, too.
I'm sure those who know me well enough are wondering why I didn't go off on the barista. I'm not exactly sure. I think it's because it's the first time Lisa and I hung out outside of our Sunday school class and I didn't want her to see how ugly I can get from the get-go. And yes, I still go to that Starbucks because it's my Starbucks. They know me there, and always get my drink right. I just ignore those 2 particular women.
4) People think they know better than you (or your doctor, ultrasound tech, etc)
At one of my hospitals the other day, this conversation happened between a nurse and me:
Nurse: "I think you're having a girl."
Me: No, it's definitely a boy.
Nurse: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Yes, we've had 2 ultrasounds. I've seen his penis."
Nurse: "Maybe it was just a finger."
Please! First off, what are you basing this on that you think I'm having a girl? Second, are you trying to freak me out! I've bought blue stuff, monogrammed his name on things, painted a nursery. Don't make me think that everything we did is wrong and it's now a girl! Sheesh! As if pregnancy doesn't make you anxious enough.
Sorry for the long post rant. I just find these things so amusing. Don't worry, even my hormonal, cranky self knows to take it with a grain of salt. But I have to say, I will never say anything to a pregnant women except "How are you feeling? You look great!" And if I don't know them at all, I won't say a word.
I'll leave you with a sneak peek of the nursery. It's coming along great!

Woah, baby!

In case you haven't heard, the Wilsons will be a family of three this summer. We are expecting a bouncing baby boy August 4th. Obviously, we are beyond thrilled. We absolutely cannot wait to meet him. I won't give you all the nitty gritty details (I've decided if I don't want to hear all that from other people. why would they want to hear it from me?) But we found out the week before Thanksgiving and told our families at Christmas. This is the first grandchild on both sides, so needless to say the grandparents are ecstatic.




People always ask me how I'm feeling. I'm the kind of person where you shouldn't ask how I am unless you really want to know. The first trimester was rough. I never really got sick, but I felt nauseated all. day. long. What is this morning sickness they speak of? It doesn't go away at noon!
However, second trimester I feel really good. A lot more energy, don't feel sick anymore and aside from heartburn (shout out to my friend Carey who shared with me the best heartburn remedy ever: apple juice mixed with 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar. Cures it instantly!) I feel good.




The only thing that I don't think ever goes away throughout pregnancy is irritability. It is amazing what people will say to you pregnant. Here is a sampling of things you should NEVER say to a pregnant woman:


- "Wow! You've gotten so big."
Yes, I know this. I am reminded of this every time I get in the shower and see myself naked. I am reminded of this every time I put on my underwear and realize it does not fit right anymore and I need to succumb to maternity undies. I am reminded of this every time I put on my jeans, albeit they're maternity, and huff and puff to pull them on.




- "You don't even look pregnant!"
Seriously?! I mean, I realize it's supposed to be a compliment but are you saying I always look like this?!




- "I was never sick during my pregnancy."
Good for you. Everyone handles pregnancy differently. But as someone who just told you how nauseated they are/were, why the hell would you tell me that? That does not make me feel better. That makes me want to kick you in the shins.




- "I only gained _____ pounds during my pregnancy."
Again, good for you. Same goes as for not being sick during pregnancy. I don't want to hear that. Why would you tell me that? That makes me feel worse than the never feeling sick comment. Except this one makes me want to punch you in the face.




- "You should/shouldn't do this or that."
This advice has been anything from why I shouldn't eat fish or lunchmeat to why I shouldn't have caffeine to why I should/shouldn't breastfeed and so on. I'm sure you're just trying to be helpful, but guess what? Having a kid does not make you Dr. Spock. I do not want your unsolicited advice. I have a doctor, thank you. I will stick with that she tells me to do. I also find the unsolicited advice really funny, especially from strangers. For some reason it is socially acceptable to go up to a pregnant person and start telling them what you think they need to do. Yet, no one would do this if you weren't pregnant. If I walked up to an overweight person that I don't know and started telling them all about what work out and diet they should have they would not only find me incredibly rude, they'd think I was nuts! Why is it all social graces go out the window for pregnant ladies?




-"Are you going to breastfeed?"
Why, are you hungry? I'm sorry but my breasts are none of your business.




"Were you trying?"
As if the boob question isn't personal enough, let's ask about my sex life! What if I went up to someone not pregnant and said "Do you use condoms or the pill or do you just pull and pray?" Not ok for the non-pregnant, not ok for the pregnant.




And the last thing that you should NEVER do to a pregnant woman...
DO NOT TOUCH HER BELLY!
I mean really, you would never do that to a non-pregnant person so again not ok for anyone. So weird, so intrusive, so rude.

I will say, that all of this can be chalked up to pregnant lady irritability. BUT, I do find it so weird that people think that all social norms and barriers are null and void when it comes to us preggos. I will also say that this doesn't apply to my girlfriends and close (female) family members. But to the strangers and any men out there follow this rule: If you didn't put it in there, it is not yours to touch, comment on or ask about.


On a positive note, here is what my fellow blogger Leslie had to say on what you SHOULD say to pregnant women.