Dave and Anita's Big Day

Yesterday was one of the most active Saturdays we've had in a while.  Well, active not in the cleaning-up-the-house for 6 hours way, but active in the checking-an-amazing-number-of-items-off-the-list way.

I bought two quarts of sage colored paint from Eastway Paints in Charlotte. I took in a pillow case from our comforter set (yes, the same one the previous own had) and picked out two colors from a family of sage green---one darker and one lighter than the pillow case--that matched it.  BTW, folks, check out the Benjanin Moore web site to "test paint" rooms.  Click on the Let's Paint button and have at it.  Also, if you're in or near Charlotte, Eastway Paints is the place to go.  Be sure and see Frank, the owner, if you have issues or questions.  Anyway, we're trying out "Herb Bouquet" and "Rosepine" for the room.  You can search for these and other colors on the web site.  Cost:  $21.  Later on, we bought two white poster boards from Office Max to make large paint samples for the room.  Cost:  $1.50.  We picked up that idea from a decorating magazine.  The poster boarads are much bigger than paint samples and you can put them in different parts of the room to see how the sunlight affects the color.  Also, putting the comforter fabric directly onto the painted board does not look so good.  But taping the poster to the wall and setting up the bed under it really helped me see how it would look if the room was painted that color.  We've decided that for $10 or so more, it's worth trying a burgundy or something in the deep red or dusk family for the "contrast" vs. monochromatic effect.  The cool thing is that if we choose the Rosepine for the bedroom, we'll use the red color for the family room or vice versa.  We really like the rosepine color.

OK!  The paint store excursion was nice.  But the real bonus yesterday was the maternity consignment shops and the the Junior League "Wearhouse."  I first went to Crickette's Maternity and Child consignment shop which was filled with used clothes.  The good news is that there were lots of options.  The bad news is that they weren't all that cheap.  I found a Liz Lange shirt that I recognized from Target on "sale" for $14.   I can buy it new from Target for $19.  The best news is that they were having a half off sale on fall and winter items.  So I bought a fall skirt for $7.  I don't see why it's a fall skirt except that it's black.  It should last me through the rest of the semester in teaching.

The Junior League Wearhouse had much better prices, but much less of a maternity selection.  Nonetheless, for $19, I bought 1 winter sweater, one spring sweater,  a cardigan for UNCC's mucked up air conditioning system (usually in the 80's in the winter and the 60's during the summer), and our first baby outfit--a blue and white sleeper on sale for $2.

We then went "way the f**k out there" (Dave's quote, and unusual because unlike me, he doesn't have the mouth of a sailor) to the south side of  Charlotte to the Old Navy store with maternity clothes.  We returned all the clothes that I had bought on line with the exception of a nice maternity turtleneck and exchanged them for a better fitting pair of pants for me, a sweater for Dave and a pair of $5 men's pj bottoms for me---casual pants around the house..dontcha know.  $45 refund to the credit card for that.  So for a total of about $80, now I have three pairs of pants, a skirt, and 4 tops.  I feel very smarty pants in my bargain maternity shopping. 

We also bought the body pillow from Bed Bath and Beyond which ended up costing $20 once we included the pillow case.  Last night, Dave was curious as to where exactly he was supposed to fit in the bed after Duncan, the pillow and I all staked our claim.  My first night of sleeping with the pillow was ok.  It's quite large and unless I keep it between Dave and me, it blocks easy exit from the bed for a middle of the night bathroom trip.  I did it like it because I could snuggle up and throw a leg over it without it snoring in my ear----so that was a plus.  But it's not going to be the end all, cure all for pregnant---and I still had my 3:00 am wake up.  And once again, my mind thought it was time to get up.  I really must be getting ready for the 3:00 am feedings. 

Finally, we hit a couple baby furniture stores.  I didn't bring my Baby Bargains book so I couldn't rank or rate the quality of what we were looking at.  What was more impressive was the herd of dazed expectant couples wandering through the store all looking wide eyed, overwhelmed and slightly frightened.  I recongized us in every couple that walked by a crib or sat in a glider.  It's so freakin' overwhelming.  And that's before we even looked at the price tags.  Just getting pregnant and staying that way has felt like a enough of a journey.  We've turned a corner and just seen the hill we have to climb to just get our house and our minds ready for the birth.  Holy Crap! 

My mind starts to get overwhelmed--so I must back off from those thoughts. 

Today's focus is on not getting too worked up for the Panthers game tonight.  It's nice to know that there is a Patriots fan or two in the Boston area that I like (Liz/Alien).  But I really, really want us to win the game.  The town is nearly worked up to a frenzy. All the local news reports have folks in Charlotte---even the NPR station!  Joey Pop gave us the weather report from Houston during Morning Edition.  It just feels like it's too much!  It's getting too scary!  I'm nervous! 

Last blog cheer before the game:  GO PANTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10:12:19 AM