Maternity Photos as well as a Pregnancy Update!

Hey ya'll! Thank yous in addition to hence much for all of your sweetness comments afterward final week's basement unwrap post. 

It made the 8 months of difficult operate totally worthwhile in addition to gave me a much needed boost.

I don't direct maintain the upstairs cook to part amongst yous but yet (fingers crossed for adjacent week) in addition to the plant nursery won't hold upwards cook for a few to a greater extent than weeks (fingers crossed I instruct it done earlier she gets here...OMG), in addition to hence instead I reckon I would part unopen to motherhood photos I but had done.

As many of yous know, this pregnancy has been actually difficult on me, filled amongst all twenty-four hr menstruum morning time sickness in addition to preterm task scares. As I write this, I'm currently halfway through calendar week 33 in addition to I'm feeling in addition to hence much amend (both mentally in addition to physically). My minute trimester was absolutely terrifying, in addition to hence to hold upwards inwards my tertiary trimester in addition to feeling practiced is something I don't accept for granted fifty-fifty for a second. 

I kinda wake upwards every morning time in addition to country 'Yay! I experience similar a gross sweaty manatee, but I'm in addition to hence happy to all the same hold upwards pregnant!'. 

So, equally of now, everything is going well, in addition to I'm hopeful that I volition instruct inwards to term or at to the lowest degree pretty close. I've been able to instruct off my couch in addition to do things a normal meaning lady would do, in addition to allow me tell you...normal feels SO good. I've been able to pass fourth dimension amongst friends (and my blood brother who has been inwards town for ii weeks...makes me in addition to hence happy), in addition to equally a petty process to myself, I had unopen to motherhood photos taken final week. 

Celebrating the belly, if yous will.

 If yous alive inwards the Knoxville area, I highly recommend my friend Lori Hensley. She does beautiful operate in addition to I know I'll treasure these forever.

Here are but a few of my favorites.

 

 

That's all for today, ya'll! 

Thanks in addition to hence much for existence here! :)

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Our New White-Washed Hardwood Flooring (and why nosotros had to rip out the sometime ones later exclusively a year!)

Hey ya'll! So, I've been keeping a trivial cloak-and-dagger from you. In the nine months that I've been pregnant, non solely did nosotros renovate our entire basement, but nosotros also installed novel white washed broad plank hardwood flooring inwards the entire upstairs score of the house. And I've been waiting to part the story alongside you lot until everything was 100% finished. And straightaway it's time...I tin privy finally tell you lot the story of why nosotros had to redo our upstairs floors afterwards solely a year.

So, recollect those build novel hardwood floors that nosotros had installed last year? Well, close half-dozen months afterwards they were installed, nosotros watched inwards pure horror every bit our forest flooring started buckling, separating, warping, in addition to turning an outdated shade of brilliant orange. Here's a closeup to demo you lot what I mean.

I tried to leave of absence on some perspective close it...it's just hardwood flooring, afterwards all. But, I'd live lying to say I wasn't devastated. We had spent 3 months in addition to a large chunk of coin on solid forest floors, in addition to I was speedily coming to the realization that something was terribly wrong.

It was every bit if our flooring had decided to revert dorsum to the 1970's.

I'm going to set on a brave human face upwards in addition to pretend similar I handled this well, but at that topographic point were lots of tears in addition to a few pick fingers aimed at the floor.

So, you're in all likelihood wondering what on public happened. 

 I don't similar to speak negatively close anyone, thence rather than getting all worked upwards close something that has already happened, here's the quickest, most painless agency I tin privy depict what unfolded.

Last year, nosotros hired a actually bad contractor. I genuinely don't think at that topographic point was whatever malice involved, in addition to I would fifty-fifty acquire thence far every bit to say that I think he meant well. But the truth is that he took iii months to exercise 1 of the worst jobs I've always seen. And afterwards he left, it took us some other iii months to build clean upwards the harm he did to our home, in addition to destination the labor he started.

And in addition to thence there's the fact that half-dozen months afterwards having our floors installed they looked similar this.

In a nutshell, afterwards talking to some flooring experts, nosotros discovered that non solely was our flooring installed poorly, but the lineament of the forest itself was actually bad, in addition to that the topcoat used was far from ideal in addition to caused the floors to amber actually quickly. So, a few painful lessons I learned from this ordeal (that I reject to live angry close inwards the hopes that they volition serve me inwards the future): 
#1. Do your due diligence when hiring a contractor. Don't just accept a blind recommendation from a friend or household unit of measurement member. Ask to run across their work. Ask for a firm timeline. Interview multiple contractors.

#2. Don't acquire talked into using solid hardwood from a local mill, fifty-fifty if you're told that it volition cutting your costs inwards one-half (because you lot mightiness terminate upwards similar us in addition to receive got your floors warp in addition to divide just a few months afterwards installation). Buy your forest from a reputable occupation concern alongside a warranty. And I receive got to tell you, afterwards this experience, I volition never receive got floors stained or finished on-site always again. Prefinished flooring is thence much easier to install, much to a greater extent than durable, in addition to you lot know just what it volition hold back similar afterwards it's installed.

and #3. Trust your gut. There were multiple instances piece working alongside our initiative of all contractor when my instincts were telling me that something wasn't right. I was likewise afraid to speak upwards or exercise anything close it, in addition to it ended upwards costing me a lot of fourth dimension in addition to money. Don't live afraid to dismiss person who isn't doing the labor you lot are paying them to do.

So, straightaway that my cautionary tale is out of the way, let's movement on alongside the happy purpose of the story. Back inwards April, the basement renovation was inwards total swing, in addition to nosotros had just hired some novel contractors to demo the poop tile in addition to install that beautiful gray plank tile downstairs. This time, nosotros did our due diligence when nosotros hired a contractor, in addition to every bit a result, nosotros ended upwards working alongside some actually amazing guys. They were organized, meticulous, a pleasance to receive got around, in addition to their travel was flawless. And every bit they had promised, they completely finished our entire basement inwards 1 week. 

So, afterwards seeing how pleasant a renovation tin privy live alongside the correct contractors, nosotros decided to hire them to create the upstairs in addition to direct hold the hardwood flooring installation. We discussed all of our options for a few days, in addition to ultimately decided that because the previous hardwood flooring had been installed thence poorly, at that topographic point was no indicate inwards trying to sand them in addition to refinish the hardwood. The onetime floors would demand to come upwards up, the subfloors would demand to live replaced (They should receive got been replaced the initiative of all fourth dimension around but nosotros were talked out of it.), in addition to nosotros would in addition to thence install novel engineered forest flooring.

So, I spent close a calendar week bringing dwelling theatre tons of samples. At 1 point, at that topographic point were close thirty sample boards inwards my garage. And it was thence difficult to direct because everything looked thence weird side past times side to our horrible orangish floors. It actually threw me off for awhile, but afterwards a calendar week or thence I had narrowed downwards my choices to iii samples. #1 was my favorite from the start, alongside #2 beingness likewise orangish in addition to #3 beingness likewise dark.

And that's a terrible iphone pic, but it's gives you lot an thought of what I'm talking about.

So, I listened to my gut in addition to went for what I've wanted all along...a broad plank white washed floor. I was determined to follow my vision, no affair how weird it seemed to anyone else. 

The below painting demo was my inspiration in addition to it took a lot of searching to notice something comparable inside our toll range. 

via Denison

So, I bought a box of pick #1 in addition to set it out over our floors to acquire a ameliorate thought of what it would hold back like.  

And I was thence excited...I knew nosotros had a winner. 

It's called Beach Front Oak from the Coastal Urban collection by Primo Florz. They aren't paying me to tell you lot this, I'm just including a link to the manufacturer so that you lot tin privy notice it if you need to.

And thence it began. Our contractors spent a few days ripping upwards all of the gross orangish flooring in addition to replacing all of the subfloors. And in addition to thence they began installing all of the novel flooring. All inwards all, it took ii weeks, just every bit they had promised. 

Can you lot believe it solely took ii weeks this time? Last fourth dimension it took almost iii months. And I don't fifty-fifty wanna speak close it.

Since everything was finished thence speedily this time, I decided just to demo you lot the finished results rather than endeavour to tell you lot close it piece all of this was underway. So, hither is how the upstairs looks today alongside the novel flooring.

It feels similar a glorious novel beginning. 

No to a greater extent than angry orangish floors.

All of our onetime living room article of furniture is beingness used downstairs, thence I've decided to redo our upstairs living room (hopefully earlier the babe gets here). So, for now, solely the dining room has been moved dorsum in.

I decided to work the pinkish carpet inwards hither for awhile. 

I beloved this thing, but tend to acquire sick of it afterwards similar a week, thence I build no promises if it volition stay.

But I beloved it for now.

I'm just thence happy alongside the agency everything turned out. It finally feels correct (even though I got it thence terribly incorrect the initiative of all time).

Here's a trivial glimpse of the hallway alongside the novel flooring.

And a glimpse of the hallway alongside the onetime floors, just to remind you lot of how much they sucked.

We also used this chance to supercede the onetime sliding door inwards the dining room alongside a novel set of pretty french doors.

To remind you, the onetime 1970's sliding door looked similar this.

It was a pretty sassy improver to whatever dining room, really.

...but 1 nosotros felt inclined to purpose with.

Nothing similar spending a hateful solar daytime alongside a gaping hole inwards your house. 

It's funny how a trivial thing similar a door tin privy build such a large difference, but there's just something close non having to withdraw a large stick from the flooring every fourth dimension you lot desire to opened upwards the door that makes me experience thence happy. 

If you've always had 1 of those onetime sliding doors, you lot KNOW the stick I speak of.

We also had the novel contractors create our stairs. I've never actually talked close this (because...sigh) but the onetime contractor did a horrible labor on our stairs. They were never finished in addition to sounded similar they were going to interruption every fourth dimension you lot stepped on them. And they were also never trimmed out, thence they pretty much just looked bad from hateful solar daytime 1. 
I'll acquaint you lot alongside the evidence.

and some other glimpse.

I'm non kidding...that is how they looked when they were 'finished'. And this is why I'm choosing to leave of absence a lot of words unsaid...because it's non fifty-fifty necessary. 

You receive got eyeballs.

And now...the stairs today. 

I never thought stairs could build me thence happy, 

BUT I APPRECIATE THEM SO MUCH information technology HURTS.

 And here's how the upstairs set looks today.

And some other glimpse. The stair treads had to live custom matched to our flooring, in addition to I was thence thrilled to run across how flawlessly they were done. 

And that's pretty much it, ya'll.

That's the story of why nosotros chose to redo our hardwood floors for the 2nd fourth dimension inwards a year. And alongside whatever luck, I volition hopefully never receive got to think close flooring always in 1 lawsuit again piece nosotros alive inwards this house.

Feel costless to express joy close the fact that it took me ii redos to acquire it correct inwards both the upstairs AND the downstairs. 

It's beyond ridiculous, I know.

 I intentionally waited awhile to tell you lot close all of this thence that nosotros could approach it from a identify of humour rather than rage.

Because at that topographic point were times....

It's such a relief to receive got it all finished in addition to finally live able to 'move dorsum in' in addition to resume our normal lives.

On a sidenote, thence many of you lot receive got been thence excited to run across the plant nursery in addition to straightaway you lot know what's been taking me thence long. I've spent the in conclusion nine months violent my entire theatre apart.

Now that everything is finished, I've finally been able to start on the nursery. For now, we've decided to work the onetime invitee room at the terminate of the hall (the room alongside the nighttime gray walls).

 I'm currently almost 36 weeks in addition to kinda wanna yell tears of relief that I've made it this far.

The thought of making it to term seemed thence far away for thence long, in addition to I'm thence thankful to live thence closed to the destination line. As you lot tin privy imagine, I was thence scared for thence long that I never actually allowed myself to think close the nursery, thence I'm just straightaway starting to finally set the room together.

And it's thence much fun.

 Since it's yet highly probable I could deliver her earlier her due engagement at the terminate of June, I don't know whether I'll terminate upwards sharing her plant nursery earlier she gets hither or afterwards she's already arrived. But, either way, I hope to eventually part it, because I'm real excited close what's going on at the terminate of that hall.

But, if for some argue I create upwards one's heed to accept a fleck of a 'maternity leave' for the entire calendar month of June or July, just know that I'm allowing myself a trivial fourth dimension off in addition to that I'll live back. I'm non going to seek to predict or conception anything...I'm just going to relax in addition to relish the moment. Thank you lot guys for allowing me to exercise that. 

'Til side past times side time!

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The Nursery Reveal!!!

Hey ya'll!! It's plant nursery give away time!

It pretty much took me until the finally infinitesimal to instruct this room finished, but it's finally done in addition to it was a truthful joy for me to position it all together. 

I'm thus excited to finally hold upwardly able to part all of it amongst you!

I wasn't certain if I would instruct to part the plant nursery earlier she arrived or afterwards, but every bit it turns out...I'm almost 39 weeks in addition to however going strong. It's the biggest relief that I create got immediately made it to term in addition to don't create got to hold upwardly scared all the time! I mean, immediately at that spot are novel fears (like LABOR), but it's however a really prissy feeling to hold upwardly happy in addition to excited for a change.

For those of yous who follow me on Instagram, yous know that the higher upwardly movie is a duet weeks old. I've 'expanded' quite a flake since then. :)

Anyway, give thank yous you guys thus much for beingness thus patient in addition to agreement during all of this. And of course, for all of your encouraging words along the way. It's genuinely meant thus much.

So, let's instruct started amongst the plant nursery tour!

I decided to usage the invitee bedroom downward the hallway, correct off of the kitchen every bit the nursery. The room was already painted Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray, in addition to although at get-go I reckon nearly repainting it something different, i time I started playing around amongst the room, I realized only how much I loved the night greyish for the nursery. It's really calming in addition to makes the room thus cozy. As my accent colors, I kept it uncomplicated amongst only a few trivial pops of pinkish in addition to some metallic element silver.

The room came together tardily over the course of report of a few months, using a lot of items nosotros already owned, combined amongst a few novel items.

My grandparents generously gifted us a crib, in addition to that allowed me to salvage quite a flake of money in addition to pass it on other items nosotros needed. I kept the bedding uncomplicated amongst this ruffled bed skirt in addition to this pinkish fitted sheet.

The velvet pillow is from our basement in addition to is only inward the crib to brand the photos prettier. 

It won't hold upwardly inward at that spot when she's inward there, thus don't yous worry. :)

My woman bring upwardly inward constabulary knitted the most precious babe quilt, amongst trivial pinkish bows at each corner. She had no reckon what the plant nursery looked like, thus I uncovering this to hold upwardly the sweetest of coincidences.

I added a few trivial metallic element sunburst mirrors higher upwardly the crib.

Again, belike something that volition instruct moved i time she gets quondam plenty to hold upwardly all grabby. 

I recollect I'm belike non supposed to nation yous when something is done only for show, but whatever...'tis the truth.

One of my favorite parts of the room is the rocking chair.

I spent months looking for an affordable white rocking chair for the nursery, in addition to everything I industrial plant life was SO expensive in addition to totally out of my cost range. There are apparently droves of women paying $1500 for a babe glider, but well, non inward this lifetime, sister.

So, determined to uncovering something that looked comparable to the high halt rockers, but cost a fraction of the price, I finally found this plant nursery glider from Walmart. I was nervous it would hold upwardly large in addition to bulky in addition to ugly inward person, but when it finally arrived, it was perfect.

To give yous an reckon of where the plant nursery is, yous tin run into the dining room through the doorway inward the higher upwardly pic. The pinkish carpeting is however going rigid inward there. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH for your response to that finally post nearly our new floors...such a relief to create got them done in addition to done right.

Anyway, the glider is the perfect size in addition to it only thus happens to hold upwardly the most comfortable chair I've always sat in. I've caught Jesse sitting inward hither multiple times, only twirling himself around inward the chair.

He's suggested that every chair nosotros always purchase from immediately on should swivel in addition to rock.

Duly noted, sir.

I also added a trivial silvery garden stool...a house where I tin laid drinks or books or pizza. 

I've had a lot of people inquire me how I cash inward one's chips on white materials thus white...like rugs in addition to furniture, in addition to obviously, this glider. And the response is that I usage something called Vectra (affiliate link) on everything the infinitesimal it comes into our house. It's a trivial pricer than something similar Scotchguard, but it protects your upholstery from almost whatever stain in addition to it doesn't brand your textile experience all difficult in addition to waterproof similar Scotchguard does. 

Basically, it works in addition to I similar it. 

Speaking of rugs, I decided to usage the zebra rug from the invitee sleeping room inward here. It only fit perfectly in addition to gave the room a trivial extra oomph.

For wall art, I kept it uncomplicated amongst this icon I industrial plant life locally. It was really the get-go affair I bought for the nursery, months ago, in addition to it kinda laid the tone for the entire room.

I knew the infinitesimal I saw it that I was going to exercise a silvery in addition to pinkish nursery.

I had pinned nearly a meg plant nursery decor ideas in addition to had a bunch of unlike color schemes running through my head, but i time I industrial plant life this painting, everything kinda came together. 

For the changing table, I decided to repurpose this quondam dresser that I had already painted awhile back. 

Remember this ol' boy?

I had previously painted it a lite bluish (you tin run into the master copy makeover here), thus I decided to only pigment it white in addition to update the hardware. Easy fix.

It took me forever, but I also painted the insides of all the drawers a lite pinkish color. Now they are prissy in addition to construct clean in addition to perfect for storing all of her trivial clothes.

It's difficult to nation inward these photos, but I swear the drawers are pink. 

Professional photog, at your service.

I also updated the hardware amongst these really pretty loving cup pulls, which totally brand the dresser.

On hand of the dresser, I added a cute trivial lamp, a changing pad, in addition to a trivial pinkish handbasket for belongings diapers in addition to such.

And that's pretty much it...our trivial plant nursery is all ready! 

Thank yous guys thus much for beingness hither in addition to for beingness thus encouraging in addition to supportive throughout this entire journey. Our trivial lady is due at the halt of June, in addition to although I innovation to create got a trivial fourth dimension off thus that nosotros tin relish our fourth dimension together in addition to figure out our novel routine, I volition brand certain to give yous guys a quick update either hither on the weblog or on Instagram (depending on how exhausted I am) after she arrives. 

So, until then, ya'll!!!! :)

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