Labor Day

We've been doing a lot of renovations around here lately.  We've knocked down walls, put up walls, re-wired, painted, etc. etc.  Finally we were far enough to move Spencer out of his old room and into his new room and then get started turning Spencer's old room into Evera's room.  We're still in the process of getting things done so there will be a post about all the renovations when we're done.  But I did want to just put up a little bit about how we spent our Labor Day holiday.  

Mike and I were both planning on working hard to get things prepared for baby to make his appearance.  Mike was working on Evera's room--cutting, building, and installing the shadowbox wainscot on his walls. 

 

I was planning on working on refinishing Mike's old dresser to make it Evera's--but I really had no idea where to even begin.  I'd been trying to sand off the multiple layers of paint but pretty much to no avail. 

Mike's parents called us that morning and told us there were going to spend the day helping us get things ready.  Mike's mom came over, assessed my situation, and we went to Home Depot to purchase paint and paint stripper.  Mike's mom proceeded to apply the stripper and completely strip the entire dresser pretty much herself.  I tried to help--but at 9+ months pregnant, I really wasn't all that helpful.

 Mike's dad helped Mike with the wainscot doing the tedious work of calking all the edges--the part Mike was most dreading.  Mike's dad did it much faster than Mike usually does too.  :)

 It was so nice to have their help and I was so grateful for them.  I think that having them come over and lend their assistance gave me the assurance that we would be okay having this baby and that things WOULD eventually get done and this little man WOULD have a room. 

That afternoon/evening we went up to my parents house for a swimming party and barbecue.  I relaxed in the hot tub for a while and I think I was finally able to give a little sigh of relief.  The renovations have been extremely stressful and I finally felt like we were at a point that we COULD handle having a baby.  Before that day I just kept saying I AM NOT READY YET.  Even though I was overdue!  I think mentally preparing for the baby is what allowed him to finally come the following morning.

When Mike and I brought baby Evera home from the hospital, we opened the garage to find this:

Mike's mom had spent her free time painting Evera's dresser just how I wanted it while we were in the hospital.  It was such a great surprise.  This is not the finished product, as I antiqued and stained it and have yet to put knobs on, but it was so helpful to have so much completed!  Stay tuned for pictures of the completed product.  (And of course, Evera's birth story...)