On Saturday, Mom and Dad came over and continued to help us landscape our backyard- this has been a work-in-progress  for over a year now, and finally it is coming together.  A couple of weeks ago we went to this huge fall sale at a local nursery in Augusta and hit the jackpot.  We found tons of beautiful bushes, decorative grasses, ground cover, Holly Trees, even two Japanese Maple trees all for a little over $100 (Dizzle made friends with the guy so he hooked us up)!  So Mom and Dad brought  all of our new plants over to us, Dad and Ian planted them (in our what once was a dirt/red clay floor covered in poison ivy “backyard”), while Mom did her amazing landscape design- spray painting where new trails should go and instructing the boys where to plant each tree.  Mom and I also got sent to Home Depot for some things (silly boys) and we came home with a whole pickup truck full of more goodies.  Dad and Ian got everything planted and even stayed up into the night building a flower box around the deck- it got so late and so dark, they both were wearing headlamps! Now that is devotion.  🙂 Our backyard is really starting to turn into that woodland oasis I had envisioned when we bought the house, thanks so much to all of the hard work from Ian, Mom and Dad! 🙂

[PICTURES OF OUR BACKYARD COMING SOON]

We also had a foster child come to our house yesterday- just for the day.  A beautiful, five year old little boy with so much personality, so much potential. We had a great time with him. Ten minutes after walking into our house, he started calling me Mommy.  It was very eye-opening to see just how much children need that relationship in their lives.  Even at five years old, he knew that something was missing and attempted to fill the void anyway he could. I hope he gets to come stay with us again.  Even though it has been really nice to have this month to ourselves since our foster daughters moved back to their family’s house, it definitely made me miss having our house filled with the energy, giggles and shrieks of little people. 🙂

We are officially baby-ready!!  This is the first time I’ve felt like we would be just fine if he decided he was going to come tomorrow.  We have cleaned and organized our entire house (like, OCD style).  We have finally finished the baby nursery (well, except for a night light and photos for the frames on the wall).  All of the baby clothes are washed and folded and put away in drawers, organized by size.  His diapers and wipes are stock-piled and stored according to size.  His bath tub, first aid kit, and “whale shower caddy” are all in place.  We even have our entire house “baby-proofed”- heavy furniture bolted to walls, medicine and cleaning products up on top shelves and/or locked up, and outlet covers in every outlet. 🙂 There is a safe, warm place for baby to sleep in every room.  We even have the infant car seat in the car!  Packing my hospital bag is on the to-do list for tomorrow.  Only 33 more days until he is due- and now that everything is ready for him, I seriously cannot wait. 🙂 Anyway, as requested, I wanted to share pictures of his finished nursery.  🙂

Chandelier and cow skin rug from IKEA, one of my favorite stores.

 Some of things on the shelves:  My bunny, Carrots, from my childhood- I couldn’t spend a night without him.  The new bunny from Grandma, purchased at a very special store in NYC, my brother’s bookends from when he was a baby, filled with my favorite books from my childhood, and “Play With Me Puppy” from Beverly Novakovic.

Toy basket with chalkboard paint from Target