Room Redo

I have spent a lot of time refinishing, redoing, remaking, and reinventing this week. I have tried to channel my inner Nester, imagining if The Youngsters would approve. And also my decor real-life BFF, Allison. {This post is partially for her since she requested pics when I talked to her on the phone tonight.}

I finally gained enough confidence to put holes in the walls, and have spun that couch in more positions than I thought possible. I finally developed pictures that have been on my computer for the past two years, and filled frames which have sat pictureless for even longer. I have shifted frames and accessories all over the place. I have developed a bad case of spray paint finger *ouch* and have black fingernails that will likely be black for eternity. I have found thrify pieces for a steal, and shopped the house for free. And for now, I am happy with the result.

I still have a gorgeous new rug to order, but it's pricy and out of the budget for now. And I'd love to add Roman shades to replace those horrid metal blinds, but I'll have to budget for that too.

To refresh you memory, here's the living room this time last year...

And here's the redesigned room.

Do you like?

PS. I might be so obsessed with the green/yellow/purple combo, that I may have dressed to match it today ;) He he...

Live. Laugh. Lovehandles.

At the risk of you sitting in front of your computer screen and thinking Oh, no she didn't! I'm totally going to follow the lead of other bloggers who've gone before me and be bold today. If Gina has the confidence to discuss pinworms and healthcare, then, by golly, I'm going to talk about a common physical ailment plaguing most of the population. And if you don't have them yourself, then you surely know someone that does.

I'm talking about the side skin spillage that results from a little extra jiggle in the middle combined with too-tight, low ride jeans. Yup, you got it...

Lovehandles. Muffintops. Spare tire.

But here's the deal. Here's where I'm going with this. Because I truly need an opinion. Or several. Here's the backstory...

This weekend, while I was waiting for them to process my clothes at Plato's Closet (I know, I'm a glutton for punishment, but you'll be glad to know they didn't tell me my clothes were too old this time...), I browsed through the racks and came across a barely used pair of STOP THE WORLD, Citizens of Humanity jeans. I about died. They were marked at $22 and retail for well over $100 brand new. I didn't even try them on. I just made myself a mental deal that if the clothes they took sold for over $22, I would buy the jeans. And, darnit if they didn't take exactly $22 worth of clothes from me. So I paid the tax and left. I knew that if they didn't fit I could always resell them on eBay for a lot more than $22. But, oh how I prayed they would fit. Not because they were designer, but because they were adorable and *long* and perfect.

Please note, these jeans were one size smaller than what I normally wear. So, getting them on required the pants dance, laying flat on my back sucking in, and the manuevering of my skin up and over the side of the jeans, result in *gasp* lovehandles.

So, I love these jeans. I really do. But I can't love them completely with the muffinish overhang.

And here's where I need your opinion: Do I keep them and try to tone my muffin top down a little? OR Do I sell them on eBay for profit?

I should let you know that I am not overweight, do not have any desire to lose weight, and would never wear these jeans in public unless I did NOT sport the spare tire. I'm looking at the jeans as motivation, right?

My mother says sell them. But again, I reeeeeeeally looooove them.

Please tell me there's other women out there who buy things they want to fit into someday. Or am I completely ridiculous?????

It's all about the process...

I am knee-deep in home improvement projects this week, and when my newly revamped living space needed a punch of color, I decided to recruit my favorite local artist to create something unique.

Meet my favorite local artist:

Yeah, he's pretty cute. And cheap.

Before he returned from his nap sabbatical, I gathered my supplies and prepped his workspace.

Then, I let the master get to work, while I documented the whole experience.


We should insure these hands ;)

After a final swipe of the brush, he perfected his work.

Then I whooshed him off to the tub. And hung his masterpiece in our living room. The perfect punch of color and kiddo artistry, if I do say so myself. And how cute is that little half-handprint in the middle? Love it.

PS. As a parent and teacher, I have some words of wisdom to offer you: It's all about the PROCESS. Not the PRODUCT. This means, let your child enjoy art without the pressure of creating something beautiful/recognizable - because, often, it is beautiful/recognizable to your child. Children can be easily discouraged and frustrated when they're not achieving perceived "perfection" in their artwork (and in many other areas of life too!). Just let them enjoy being kids, and make the experience of art mean more than creating the next Mona Lisa :)

11 months, Surgery, Owen, and Pics

Happy 11 months to my baby boy!!  Only one more month until the BIG day!! Poor man had to have surgery on his birthday!

All went well today.  We left the house at about 6:45 and got to the waiting room around 7:45.  It was me, Randy, my mom and Randy's mom.  Randy and I brought him back to the pre-op area.  He was SO good... I know you aren't surprised, but I was just in "awe." I was proud of myself because the only time I started to cry a little was when I was holding him and the anesthesiologist said,
"Maybe we should give him a little versed because he might have some separation anxiety."
and I said, "Yeah that might be a good idea," and I looked at Tripp and said,
"Yeah, because you're gonna be sad if you have to leave Mommy, huh?" and he immediately started shaking his head yes.
It was SO freaken sweet.  And perfect timing :)
Anyway, so they gave him the versed first and he was HILARIOUS.  You could tell it made him so drowsy, but he was like a crazy man... that medicine wasn't getting him to slow down.  He was smiling, pat-a-caking,  and doing his cute little thing where we say "show us your muscles" and he holds his arms out wide and squeezes his whole body until he starts shaking.  He was absolutely a little precious angel.
The procedure took about 30 minutes (the whole thing) and then we went back to wait for him to wake up.  That's what took about 2 hours because the little stinker didn't want to get up.  They had drugged him pretty good, though.  But he looked GREAT when we saw him.  Very, very comfortable.
While he was under, before they did the tubes, the eye doctor took out his contact and checked his cornea and his eyelid.  He put a new contact back in because he said that the eyelid looked about 95% healed, but it still had a little raw spot on it and he didn't want it to scratch the eyeball again.  So we will check it again in about 3 more weeks.

OK, so now for my RAVE on Ochsner hospital... I cannot say enough about how pleased I am.  The doctors are one of a kind.  Every single doctor Tripp has been to has gone above and beyond to help him.  The anesthesia team has taken EVERY precaution possible to protect his skin.  His skin has looked absolutely beautiful every time he has come out of surgery.  The nursing staff has been so helpful and so understanding of everything.  They take a step back sometimes and let me step in... which I like because I know him the best.  If I was in that position as a nurse, I would do the same.  Just EVERYONE was SO nice today... from the lady at the front desk who checked us in, to every doctor and nurse and anesthesiologist.  It was nice.  It felt good.

So.... GET THIS:  There was another Junctional EB baby born at Ochsner hospital about 5 weeks ago.  I know.... it's still hard to believe.  His name is Owen and he is just plain beautiful.  He and his Mommy and Daddy (Katie and Allen) have been through some really rough times these past weeks.  Owen is still in the NICU at Ochsner right now, but is starting to improve and may be able to go home soon.
What are the odds that there are two Junctional babies in the same state that live about 30 minutes apart?? The geneticist told us Tripp was one in 2 million... so really that would mean there could be about (technically- 2.5) babies in Louisiana with JEB.  I mean, it could happen... well, it DID happen.
I got to meet baby Owen for the first time yesterday.  I hurt for him and his family SO bad because I know exactly, EXACTLY how they feel and what they are going through.  I brought them a bunch of supplies and diapers and other things.  I just want to do more.  They are such a beautiful family.  And I know that Owen is in good hands after meeting his amazing parents.  Please keep Owen and his parents in your prayers through these tough times.  They are coming to our house tomorrow to watch a bath and dressing change before they bring Owen home.  They need your prayers!  Thank you so much!

Here are some pictures from the recovery room and then later on today.... (and some from yesterday's walk to the snoball stand down the road!)

This is the "show us your muscles!" 

Cute, huh??

My first snoball!! 

Can you tell what color?!?

PawPaw Carey got to stroll!

First trip to Wal Mart with Grammy and MeMe (I know, the germiest place in the world!)

And I know I don't have one of those shopping cart covers- we don't get out much, okay :)

I did sanitize the cart though!!

The Fam...

Love, 

Nom Nom Nom

Another step-by-step for the day, babystyle...

1. Ask mommy for muffins.

2. Mommy realizes that we are out of store-bought mufffins mixes, so from scratch it will be.

3. Let mommy mix all the main ingredients together. Then, involve yourself by taste-testing. Everything.

4. Add blueberries. Taste those too.

5. While mommy insists on taking more pictures, taste batter again.

6. While first batch bakes, demand spoon to lick. Again, it's all about the tasting.

7. Lastly, taste finished product. Nom nom nom :)
8. *Optional* Have your favorite dentist stop by for a visit and perform your first dental exam post-blueberry muffins. Swoon her into leaving you a new toothbrush by repeating her name Dotor Bwomer over and over and over again. No cavities, but it's confirmed that you will likely have to have a frenectomy and braces in the distant future. Flash a couple of $$$$ at mommy. Pose for blog-worthy picture.

DIY Floor Lamp

1. Put on Ugg boots and enter basement in search of old floor lamp that has been out of commission for years. Try to avoid mice compound by running up and downstairs at lightening speed.

2. Take before picture of old, bead-fringed lamp.

3. Spray paint base white. Forget to also spray paint finial (which I end up doing a shoddy job at later because I want to see finished project).

4. Gather materials for recovering shade. Fabric was purchased at Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon :)5. Clip off bead-fringe. Make mental note to vacuum before Becks wakes up from nap. Anything small and shiny is always appetizing when you are almost-two.6. Cut and rip off old shade fabric. Much trickier than it looks. 7. Take picture of bare-bones shade.8. Devise plan for recovering shade. Reread YHL's how-to post, and realize they recovered a drum shade. Much easier. Hmmmmmm.

9. Begin chanting The Nester's mantra: It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful...

10. Eyeball measurements and cut rectangular shape of fabric. Start hot-gluing with little clue how the end product will turn out.

11. Change method to cutting out pieces of fabric that look like this instead of rectangular:

12. Continue hot gluing with no rhyme or reason, unable to match the pattern or seams up perfectly. Think Who cares?

13. Finish covering.

14. Snip and glue excess fabric.

15. Cover seams with black ribbon.

16. Take cock-eyed picture of finished product. Happy with result. Took less than an hour from start to finish, with still a good hour or two of Beck's nap remaining. Cost = less than $5. 17. Will post placement at later date, as it has yet to be determined :)

Tube Surgery

Hey guys.  We saw the ENT on Friday to check his ears.  Dr. Rodriquez said that there is fluid there.  It's not infected, but it's causing him pain because of the pressure.  She said we could either go ahead and put the tubes in or spend the next few years wondering if we should put them in or not.  So we made the decision and scheduled the tubes for this Wednesday.

Also, she looked down his trach and said that the little sore that he had there before from the longer trach that was in has gotten bigger and that's why we've been having some trouble with the trach.  He's having trouble getting air in because the sore is restricting his airway more.  So she started him back on the higher dose of steroids and tapering them down again.  Hoping that will help shrink down the sore.  I'm also giving him nebulized steroids to see if that will help as well.  We are going to go back tomorrow and let her check the sore again to see if it went down at all before we bring him into surgery.  She said he can't go in to surgery breathing like he was because the anesthesia team would have a heart attack!

But he's such a little trooper.  You would never know by the way he acts that he was struggling to breathe.  He's still all smiles.  But he is pulling at those ears so much that he's tearing up the sides of his face.  Hopefully the tubes will make a world of difference and he won't be pulling at those ears.  The surgery starts at 8.  We have to be at the hospital for 7.  So please say some extra prayers for him on Wednesday morning.  I will try and let you know how everything goes with his trach tomorrow after our doctor's appointment and let you know if the surgery is still going to happen for sure.

Also, he was supposed to have an appointment tomorrow to take his contact out and either leave it out if it's healed or switch it out with a new one.  Well, don't you dare think I'm going to put him through two traumatic events in one week... SO I called the eye doctor and she said that they could change it out (or check and see if it's healed) while he's under anesthesia so that it won't be as traumatic for him.  Killing two birds with one stone... I know, so smart :)

SO, please give offer up some extra prayers for the little man this week :) It's gonna be a rough one.

I'll let you know how things go!! Thanks again for all your love and support!
Here's some pics :)

Pick a toy, any toy...

Bye, Bye!!

Love,