inspiration

I have been asked by 2 friends to help with their baby nursery designs this week. I have painted at a friends house in her entryway. I have painted my own baby's room and am helping make decisions on Amy's. The paint ideas are flying all over the place! It's been so long since I was able to paint that I am overloaded with things I want to do! I've been playing with some ideas to change up my bedroom and living room, but haven't decided for sure what I want. I was scouring the internet today and found some things I really want to play with! Here's the best of what I looked at.

This one was done with paper in a guest room, but I like the idea of doing it with paint. Maybe in one color but different values on an accent wall. It could be VERY cool!

This diamond design was acutally on Home Depot's site. I love the harlequin idea and being in a different color than black and white makes it super cool.

This idea was done by painting over labels cut to look like silhouettes. I love the idea of a gridded wall, but this was an interesting take on the same idea. Would be cute in a kids room with bright colors and cars, trains and boats instead of people.

And these are all the chalkboard paint ideas! A globe??? Could be really cool in my art room! And I am dying to make these calendars! They are really sleek and different! I dont have a pic of it, but I also have an old door I am painting in chalkboard paint to put in the entry with colored chalks. That way visitors can write a message!

Where do I start?? I am playing with paint we still have right now, before I buy some new colors. I am working on wide stripes in our bedroom and thinking through some ideas for the living room. hmmmmm....

My days are running together

How does time go so quickly? My boy is almost 3 months old and my days are all one big blur now! We are having lots of fun rolling over, razzing, standing with some help, laughing and smiling at Momma and sitting in our bumbo seat.

Zeke's favorite toy is Mr.Monkey on his play mat. He grabs his tail and swings him around and hugs him. he also like to hug and chew on his handmade burpcloths to soothe himself. He's become very drooly and makes us wonder if he's gonna be an early teether. We are working on giving him a feeding on a bottle every day to prepare for when Momma goes back to work, but we are failing miserabley.

We've started running at night and take Zeke in our new jogging stroller. We all 3 love it! It plays music and has great shocks, so Zeke isn't bouncing out all the time. Zeke's a real trouper and goes to parties, restaraunts and shopping with Momma and Daddy all the time. He loves being passed around and admired by everyone and only cries when he's really tired or hungry.

We are having so much fun watching him develop his personality and I know Daddy is ready for him to be big enough to really play with. We are enjoying nights of good sleep since he began sleeping through the night (at 2 months people...that ROCKS!) He's just a great baby and keeps us busy but happy every day!

updates...

So my little guy is 2 months old now. It has gone by so fast! Today I took him for his 2 month check up and immunizations. He weighed in at 11lbs 11oz and measured 22 3/4 inches long. He is in the 50th percentile for both weight and height! Way to be average, buddy!

He is doing all kinds of fun things now like rolling over, sitting in his bumbo chair, pulling on Mr.Monkey on his play mat, practicing standing on those strong legs and talking, smiling and laughing. He is also starting to sleep through the night, which is a welcome change to my 4hr sleep spells.

I love my little guy more than I thought was possible. I have a friend who had her baby very early and it made me think about what couldve happened with Zeke. I am so lucky to have gotten pregnant and all, and am so grateful that he is so healthy and happy. He has been blessing beyond what I expected and I still can't get enough of him...even just staring at his sweet little face while he sleeps.

Here are some pics of my boy during this past month.

Big Boy!

My little man had a monumental week. He started cooing and smiling this week, even got a laugh out of him when Aunt Amy was over on Tuesday! But what I am most proud of happened last night...
Zeke slept in his crib, in his own room!!!
Normally we keep him in the pack n play in our room about 3 feet from me. That makes it easy to get up when he needs food or changing. At his last doctor's apt, the pediatrician instructed me to start working on his bedtime ritual. He said around 1 month old we should be working towards 2 4hr sleep cycles at nite. At 2 months we should be shooting for a 6hr sleeptime, and at 3 months we should be trying for 8. "That sounds amazing!" I said, "How do I do that?" (at that point he was sleeping about 1 1/2- 2 hrs at a time. We were told to let him cry for at least 3 minutes during the nite before picking him up, so he'll learn to go back to sleep. We were also told to get a nighttime plan in motion...same order, same things, same time every nite. When he gets older that will include story and prayer with Daddy, but for now our ritual is Bath, Feeding, Bed with music mobile.
It worked right from the beginning and quickly he was sleeping 4hrs for his first stint at night, then between 2 and 4 for his second stint. It's been a couple of weeks now and he has consistently slept for those times, even when we were in Lubbock. So we decided to try him out in his crib so Daddy can get more sleep and we can have our room back!
I started having him take his morning nap in his crib to get him used to it, and we moved the crib attachment from the pack n play into the crib (just the mat part that he sleeps on), so that he would have something familiar to bedtime. He didn't want to go to sleep, and cried several times when we tried to lay him down, but finally...he crashed and slept for not 4 hrs...but almost 6!!! I think Mom rightly diagnosed why...better mattress = better sleep. Why didn't I think of that? I fed him again and he went right back to sleep for another 3 hours. Good boy! We are so proud!!!

priceless photography

Zeke was a little male model at about 3 weeks old. These were taken by our friends Brandon and DeeDee Price. They are getting a photography business off the ground and offered to do these for us. LOVE them! Check out their website... www.pricelessphotodfw.com

He's changing everyday

I love my little guy. I love everything about him. I love his tiny fingers and toes. I love his pitiful "I'm sleepy" cry. I love how his hair curls up at bathtime. I love how I can feel his breath on my face when he's asleep on my shoulder. I love the smiles he gives in his sleep. But mostly I love knowing he's mine. He is a little person that I created with my best friend, a little bit of each of us. I cant wait to see what he'll do next and who he'll become, and I'm soaking up every sound he makes, every look he gives and every moment I have to share with him.

Zeke Updates

Well...my boy is 2 1/2 weeks old now. It's hard to believe it's been that long! In fact, I've missed 15 days of school now...which is just insane! I saw my sub last night at the End Of Year art show and she assured me things are going well and how happy she is with the lessons I left her. We also found out there is a job opening in our district next year so she is going to set up an interview soon. I'm hoping this will be her big break!

Zeke is changing so much every day, it's hard to not just sit and watch him all day long! He loves tummy time and hates being on his back. He makes this squeeky sound when het gets really upset, almost like his voice is cracking. He loves footsie pjs and socks. If his feet are warm, he's a happy camper! He sleeps really well in the pack n play in mommy and daddy's room and has tried the crib a time or two in his own room. He eats and eats and eats and cracks me up when he's really hungry. He does this super fast chomping motion and starts breathing really hard. We have to remind him to calm down. Daddy has a way with him I just don't have down yet. He can just talk and Zeke is in a trance. He loves hearing Daddy sing and hum to him. He does really well in the car and sleeps in his car seat for long stints when he gets home.

Joe and I have been so blessed these past weeks. We have had so many visitor and just as many helpers. People bring us food EVERY day and I get calls asking me if I need anything on a daily basis. Mom spent 15 days with us and I don't know how we wouldve gotten through without her. she cleaned and did laundry, kept the baby while I slept, and just kept me company. Thanks Mommy!

Besides our families, I think the people most excited about our arrival are my sweet Hannah Sisters. I have spoken of them before, but I have to reitterate...

These ladies saved my life many times over. Amy and I joined their infertility support group about 2 years ago, when our husbands were at the end of their ropes with us and we had nowhere else to turn. We have shed so many tears and shared so many prayers with these ladies and God has been faithful to us all, giving all 3 of those trying to concieve babies this year. Thank you Carol, Sheila and Debbie. More than I will ever be able to put into words...you got me through. You believed when I didn't. You were strong when I was weak (yes, even Carol who cried every week.) You will hold a place in my heart for as long as I live. God brought us together and I know that what you have taught me is going to help me help others now. Thank you thank you thank you. I love you girls so much!

JOSEPH EZEKIEL VARNEY, WELCOME TO THE WORLD!!

Long story short...
Monday March 22
Enter the hospital at 7pm. Nurse gets me settled, gives me meds to start dialating (I'm at a 1), and we start noticing contractions on the monitor.

March 23

We labor ALL DAY. I cannot get an epidural until I'm at a 4, which doesn't happen until after 5pm. I have different meds, sit on a fitness ball, have my water broken by my doctor, and still can't get the munchkin to drop.

9pm

The doctor makes the call...I'm not gonna deliver this way..Csection asap! We get prepped an to the OR. (More on that story later). Zeke is born at exactly 10pm!

We return to around 12 people waiting for Zeke to appear. Cue the paparrazi camera attack. Flashes going off all around as he makes his debut to the family and friends.

Uncle matt

We spend 4 days in the hospital and Zeke had LOTS of visitors. He is very popular!

At home...we can't stop taking his picture. He is just too cute!

I promise to post more in the next few days. I have lots of pics to show of the happy grandparents and uncles, as well as some sweet ones of my wonderful Hannah Sisters. I have so much to say and so much to share with you all, so I will try to tear myself away from my little guy so I can do that.