Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Introducing...

Daphne Emma Crandall arrived on February 27th, 2012 at 6:22 PM. She weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and was 19.5 inches long. We are in love. More details to follow.





Friday, February 24, 2012

Daphne's Nursey

Here goes my last post before Daphne's birth...or at least I am refusing to blog again until she comes! Maybe if I go on strike she will decide to make her grand entrance by her due date?!?!? We shall see. I still have a few finishing touches to do to the room, but I figure those will come with time. I finally finished the last decorating item I had really wanted done in the room prior to her arrival today.

This first picture is a view of the room from the front door. I went with really light aqua blue walls with pink, green, and yellow accents. I have fallen in love with owls and birds as well as wanted a vintage look to it. I went a little crazy making things and thought I would never finish it, but overall I really enjoyed all the crafting I got to do for her room. My mom was such a big help as well!

This is the rocking chair my mom used for me as a baby. The quilt I made as well as an owl pillow from Julia are currently stationed there until she is old enough to use them on her bed.

Here is a full view of the quilt I made. I feel in LOVE with these vintage fabrics from Ben Franklin and couldn't pass them up. The fabrics were my initial inspiration for everything in the room.
My mom painted a mural on the wall (pictured closer up a few pictures down) as well as few random birds throughout the room. This little guy is perched above the door frame.
Dan's dad gave us this dresser for Daphne to use. I absolutely LOVE it. I had been looking for a used dresser everywhere that had the right look to it, was in good shape, and affordable. I was having the hardest time finding anything when Dan's Dad offered this one that had just been sitting unused in his guest room. This dresser was originally Dan's great grandparent's dresser, was passed down to his grandparents, then to his Dad, and now to us. Daphne will be officially the 5th generation to use it. The dresser is in amazing shape still. We figure it is probably from about the 1920's or so.

My mom did this watercolor picture about 10 years ago just for fun...we got it framed and included it in her room. I always wanted my mom to do a picture for her room and it was nice she already had one that worked!


Another birdie perched on top of the curtain rod. I didn't really get a good close up of the curtains, but I made them as well.

I found this changing table at a garage sale for $10 or so. I painted it, antiqued it, and made a cover for the changing pad.
Dan's mom gave us this cross-stitch that she made for Dan when he was born. I love that her room has so many items that fit the vintage style I was looking for as well as have some special meaning behind them.

The mural and crib

Close-up of the mural
Close-up of the bedding. I enjoyed making the sheets, skirt, and bumper...probably won't happen ever again since it was so much work, but I am still glad I did it!

I also made this cute owl stuffed animal/pillow. I actually found the pattern on etsy prior to starting on the nursery and fell in love with it....which gave me the idea of what I wanted to do for a theme. This cute little rocking chair was Dan's. His mom said he used to love rocking in it when he was little.
And last but not least...I figured I would add one more picture of one of Dan's favorite items in the room (it currently lives in the dresser)....Daphne's Saints shirt. He is ridiculously excited to have someone in the family that will watch football with him (although I doubt she will be paying any more attention than I do to sports since this will fit her when she is about 12 months old). But either way, I look forward to the two of them hanging out during games:)

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Parent's Ward Shower & Life in General

Last shower post...I promise! I think I am officially caught up on all posts now based on pictures I have taken the last few months (beyond that I can't remember if I had anything to blog about) other than the fact that I would like to take pictures of the nursery this weekend and add them to the blog.

Life has been good. Taking one day at a time. I have LOVED being pregnant. It is such an amazing experience. I have been lucky to be so healthy throughout my pregnancy. There have been moments that have tested my patience (and sanity...like right now) but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I love all the fun kicks and how much you can actual interact with this child inside of you. I often catch myself watching my belly move at night, giggling, and pushing back when she pushes me instead of paying attention to whatever show I had planned on watching on TV. Dan just chuckles, but secretly he enjoys feeling all her kicks and movements just as much as I do. If I get this distracted by her now, I can only imagine what it will be like in a week or two:) Dan has been such a big help lately as well as so many other family and friends. I look forward to seeing him as a Dad. He is such a great husband and is so good with kids. I caught him in her nursery the other day looking at all her cute clothes and imagining her in them, especially her pink Saints Jersey. What fun.

Anyways, as far as other life stories, Dan's schooling seems to be going much better this semester. I don't think either of us can remember a more challenging few months of our life than last semester and although things didn't turn out as we had hoped, we have put our trust in God that all will work out and taking things day by day. He seems to be enjoying himself this semester and is so much happier with the opportunities he has had to practice teaching Special Education students. Each day of teaching is still tough, but he is happy and has a great cooperating teacher this semester, which has made all the difference. Each day is still crazy busy, but we are taking things one day at a time and trying to count each blessing that comes our way. I am so proud of him and all the hard work he puts into his schooling. I don't know many people that after working a full day on a Friday, plus 2 hours of student teaching, can come home and do homework until late in the night. Such discipline and dedication to doing all he can to provide for us. I look forward to him graduating at the end of the year, but until then, I am happy to do whatever I can to help him through each and every day.

Anyways, back to the last baby shower I had. My mom has been such an amazing support and help at getting all the crazy baby projects I have gotten myself into done lately. We have on average spent 1 day a week together working on different projects as our work schedules have allowed. I have loved all the quality time I have had with her lately. My parents are amazing. My dad has been such a big help too. He always seems to know when I might need a little extra love and support with everything that goes on in our crazy lives.

A few weeks ago my mom put together a baby shower for me and invited all of the people I grew up with in their church ward to the shower. She spent endless hours the week before making this cute baby elephant quilt. The theme was baby animals for the shower. I am so grateful for all the help Cindy Powell and my dad gave with getting things set up and food prepared for the shower as well.



My mom had the great idea of a station where people could help make cute bibs and onesies for Daphne. Prior to the shower, we cut out tons of cute baby animals out of fabric. Guests were able to iron the animals on and add different embellishments. They all turned out so cute!







Thanks everyone that came!

Proof

Despite the fact that this post won't make me look good...here goes nothing! Dan was so proud of himself the other day for completely taking me out of the game, Othello, before it really even had begun. If anything proves that I suffer from prego brain this does!