My Growing Belly….and Family

I am now on my 35th week of pregnancy and as anxious as ever to give birth.  Albeit, life had never been more hectic lately.  I had been keeping myself busy with arranging my children’s bedrooms and making checklist after checklist of all the things we would need for the baby while at the same time checking my toddler’s needs.    One tricky thing about raising children is that they grow very fast – literally.  With the changing season, I have to constantly check that my son has adequate and appropriate clothing for the day’s weather.  Last season’s pants are now too short, and although he didn’t gain much horizontally, some of his shirts are also getting shorter.  I know that I will not be able to do a lot of shopping when the baby arrives, so I have now stocked up on some fall and winter clothing.  Plus, I made sure that all his vaccinations and doctor and dentist check-ups are up-to-date, and made an effort to schedule some of these appointments ahead of time so I will not have to worry about it when I have another child to take care of.  As you may notice, I am a freak when it comes to organizing things.  I believe that in order to be successful in anything, adequate preparation has to be done and that means everything has to be well-organized.

I have also been reading about how to help older siblings cope with the arrival of a new member of the family.  It is said that since all the attention will now be focused on the baby, it is important for parents to be mindful of the older child.   My husband and I have already talked about it and we have decided to involve Jakub in everything that has to do with his sister — from helping out with diaper changes to being on the lookout for hazards that may be harmful to the baby.  Almost everyday, I remind him that he is going to be a big brother soon and I am happy to note that he exhibits a certain sense of pride in his new role.

Anyway,  we had a maternity photo session last week to document the anticipation of our little one’s arrival.  I am sharing with you some of my favorite shots.

Photo:  Jan Strnad
Photo by: Jan Strnad (www.atelierkolin.cz)

It is normally difficult to get a toddler’s full attention in this type of activity, but my little boy was surprisingly enjoying it.  He was willing to oblige to every pose and was always excited to check out his own image in the camera after a shot was taken.

Here’s one of my favorite photos.  The big brother communicating with his baby sister.

Photo:  Jan Strnad
Photo by: Jan Strnad (www.atelierkolin.cz)

She is already loved.

Photo: Jan Strnad
Photo by : Jan Strnad (www.atelierkolin.cz)

My growing belly….and family.

Photo:  Jan Strnad
Photo by: Jan Strnad (www.atelierkolin.cz)

We still have about a month to go before we finally meet her.  I feel SO HUGE that it seems like there’s no more room left for growing.  This is the longest month ever.  Although I am suffering from all the discomfort that pregnancy brings, I am happily looking forward to finally hold my little girl in my arms.

The Nursery Project

I’m not yet done with decorating the whole house and here I am already thinking about decorating the nursery.  It’s too early for “nesting,” I know.  But I don’t want to wait till I’m huge as a whale to start doing what I can still do now that I’m relatively strong.

I am thinking of transforming this space…..

IMG_3857

….into this.

                                         Modern Kids by Seattle Interior Designers & Decorators Tewes Design
Minus the chair and the floor, this design makes use of what we already have now.  It seems very easy but the more I focus on the details, the harder it seems.  I am also a bit distracted with these other design ideas that I really find very interesting.
If only I had a bigger room, this is the kind of nursery I would like to have.
                                                      Modern Bedroom by Miami Artists and Artisans Lullaby Wall Decor
I love the color combination and  the simplicity of the room.  I think that the modern design fits very well with our modern house.
This next design is very luxurious, and I like it a lot.  I think it screams:  “I’m a princess!”
I just love the warmth of this room.  But  I’m one who likes to have a lot of light – natural light.  So this will not work.
                                     Traditional Bedroom by New Orleans Interior Designers & Decorators Nelson Wilson Interiors
This other one is very feminine.  The color combination, lace and ruffles says it all.  But with the pink overload,  I think it  will make my boys cringe.  My husband already told me not to overdo pink.  He says he only likes one type of pink — Pink Floyd.
                                       Bedroom by Spanish Fork Architects & Designers Joe Carrick Design – Custom Home Design
This next design may fit our modern house, but the color combination will not.  I’m not really a big fan of brown.  I like the warm cozy feeling that I get from this room though.
                                                 Modern Kids by Calgary Interior Designers & Decorators Wendinteriors
So, what do you think?  Am I making the right choice with the green bedroom for a baby girl?   Which one is your favorite?