Life, the Universe, and Lucy

Happy Easter!

It's been a surreal couple of weeks. The days before Lucy's birth moved like molasses. Thank goodness for good friends and the River's Edge.

We were heartbroken to find out that our cousin's husband, a 35-year-old father of three beautiful children, was killed in a car accident this week. I can't calculate the time Justin and I have spent thinking about him and his family. We love them so much and are just blown away at the strength my cousin has in this terrible time. I keep thinking that for every sadness in the world, there is something beautiful, and I've never had more poignant a reminder than this week. Please think of my cousins and send them all your positive energy and prayers. I am so grateful to have known Austin and been part of his spiritual journey. I know he would have adored this little girl.

I am counting my blessings more than ever today.

And isn't she just perfect?

One of my favorite parts about Lucy's birth was seeing all those friends and family make a new (little) friend.

This is my grandma Naomi Ruth Roe. I am sad my Grandpa John couldn't be here to meet the little girl.

...and her brother, Harold. Lucy loved him.

Dr. B, our family pediatrician.

Angelica, who lives up to her name, is a sugarcube of a girl who works in the dean's office. She came by to help me with the kids since Justin started his new job the Monday after I came home from the hospital. Check out that pretty smile! I think Lucy was very taken with her (and vice versa).

Arthur was very disappointed that Lucy was so little. "She's not apposed to be that little!" He protested. He was expecting more of a companion. I caught him trying to coax her into getting up and crawling, poor kid. Thankfully, he's started to settle into his big brother role. I sneaked this pic when he didn't think I was looking.

Not long before Lucy's birth, Justin told me our fortunes were about to change. After three years of layoffs and heartache, I hoped he was right. The week Lucy was born, he received two good job offers. Starting a new job the week Lucy arrived was kind of crazy, but we are happy to see our luck is changing.

Lucy's finally here!

Thanks to the fabulous Camera Tamera for taking such lovely photos!

Random Cute Arthur

Hard to believe he was just a little baby not so long ago. Now he's the big brother!

Arty with Artie in the Yardy

I am not much of an artist...I spent all of my middle school art class in the corner of the room laughing with my girlfriend Dusti and some cute Asian Buddhist kid. But who doesn't love to play with colors and paint?

When it's very nice outside, I sometimes drag all of our fun art supplies out to the lawn and bring the neighbor kids over.

This week, I worked on Lucy's memory book. I love making these silly little memory books from blank journals, painting the pages with gesso and paint to thicken them up and give them a little texture before I hit them with my ninja sharpies, adding glitter, old greeting cards, stamps, etc. They aren't masterpieces, but they are as fun to fill in as they are to make. Arthur helped me paint the pages (between his twin unicorn paintings) and add glitter, stamps, stickers and other clip art.

Anyway, it will be nowhere near complete before Lucy comes home from the hospital, but that's all right...I will have something fun and easy to work on while on maternity leave!

Five days left: Lucy's room chronology

This has been a chaotic, crazy process building a bedroom for our little girl in such short time on a very tight budget. We couldn't have done it without the help of our friends and family. 

I am happy to say that our tight budget days are soon to be over; after nearly three years of struggling after not one but two layoffs, Justin has a solid, well-paid full time job starting the week after Lucy is born. Things are looking up for us.

Anyway, the first step in getting Lucy's ready was moving our bed into the "closet," the little sideroom next to our bedroom, so that we could store Lucy's baby gear in our bedroom. 

Next, we addressed the ceiling problem in Lucy's room. This room had been added on to the back of the house and the ceiling was badly damaged, so several years ago, Justin and I took a hatchet to it and removed it, exposing the rafters.

The first step in installing a ceiling was adding insulation.

He then had to finish the drywall.

Before painting the bedroom, Justin decided to paint a chalkboard for the little girl to play with.

The next step was finding willing workers. Thank goodness for all of our helpers, especially Carole, Taeh, Justin's dad John, and Craig. And of course, I can't forget Arthur.

We painted the room colors inspired by the Flaming Lips album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.

I believe this shade of orange is called "burnt pumpkin."

Justin created a textured ceiling using a comb and then painted it this lovely golden yellow. He also installed a ceiling fan, seen below, and a light for a hanging lantern, not pictured.

The next step was to paint the floor, which he then coated with two coats of polyurethane.

Finally, we were able to add curtains and move her belongings in. Arthur was very happy to help.

 The curtain rods are made from galvanized steel conduit and cost approximately 4 dollars to make.

Justin added some shelving for the baby's belongings.

Pictured below, directly behind the tent toy, is where the door will be.

Next, Justin added some shelving and rods in the closet that had formerly held our camping gear in a disastrous cluster**** of a pile. These are all clothes for newborns, to give an idea of how many clothing items she's been given. The shelves are quite deep as well.

Next, having emancipated our bedroom from the chaotic stacks of rubbermaid boxes that held Lucy's things, Taeh and I moved our bed back into the bedroom. Hurray!

That massive lump in the bed is my pregnancy setup: memory foam and a full body pillow.

More destruction; Justin took to the wall with a saw.

In the process, he discovered a window on what had been the original back of the house.

Tonight and tomorrow, he will be finishing the door. We're down to the wire here, but looks like we'll make it,  god willing and the water don't break!