Dining Room design

One of my must haves when we were house hunting was a formal dining room. I knew we'd only use it a few times a year, but I love the idea of hosting dinners and holidays. After the nursery, the dining room was the first project we tackled...and it's taken 10 months to complete, mostly because were looking for a buffet and a mirror.

This is what it looked like before. The house was new construction, so it's not like we had to remodel. We just started with a clean slate.

This was the inspiration (from Pinterest). I immediately LOVED the dark blue walls and was lucky that the pin had the exact color. I also liked the dark furniture and white accents, but knew I wanted a little more color. 

A few pictures from along the way...

I have to say a huge huge huge thank you to Darrell and my friend Jamee. They painted the dining room one Saturday while I was working. It really was for the best that I was out of the house. Not only was I about five months pregnant, I totally freaked when they started. I was so scared that the color would be way too dark. Both of them rushed me out of the house and updated me throughout the day about how great it was turning out. I let out such a huge sigh of relief when I got home.

Darrell and his dad hung the moulding. I'm so thankful they were willing to take on the project, because neither of them had done it before. I'm also thankful they made it through without killing each other :)

 

This was the dining room table decor in spring, before we had all of the chairs.

 

And here is the (almost) finished project! I'm still on the hunt for the perfect mirror for above the buffet. It needs to be big and round. I have exactly what I want in my head, I just can't seem to find it. We bought one that was close but ended up returning it because it just wasn't the right one.

view from the foyer.

  

 view from the kitchen.

  

view from above?/standing on a chair.

  

the buffet!!! We searched for this beauty for.ev.eerrrr.

 

this is the wall that needs the mirror. The wall is just so huge and dark, it's got to have something. {{I also just realized I need a much bigger center piece on that buffet..eek}}

Bar globe. Darrell and I found this at an estate sale a few years ago when we were living in Fayetteville  

 

This hutch is also an estate sale find from Fayetteville. I love it so much but I'm not 100% sure that it really belongs in this room. There's not really anywhere else in the house I want to put it so here it stays. I'm not ready to part with it.

 

close up view of the crown moulding.

  the chandelier and medalion!! 

Paint: Benjamin Moore Champion Cobalt

Table: World Market Arcadia Table

Chairs: Pier One Mason Chair, Ivory

Rug: usarugs.com

Buffet: Mango Furniture

China cabinet: estate sale find

Chandelier: AF Lighting, Naples Chandelier- clear
Medallion: Home Depot

Moulding: Lowes, painted by Darrell & yours truly

I'm slowly working on the guest room as I find things I like. We're tackling the yard piece by piece but aren't doing too much until the fence is put in.  The next big project will be the master bedroom. The foyer and downstairs bathroom are also on the list for a makeover!

Five Months

Well, Avery is five months old. Which means next month, she'll be half of a year. I just can't even process that. 

Health: This past month hasn't been the best. Avery has had a runny nose for about three weeks. She never got a fever and was acting fine so we didn't take her to the doctor. This past Monday she started getting green gunk in her eyes in the morning, so we took her in and got some eye drops. Other than that, everything was fine! Wednesday we noticed a little cough starting and Thursday she slept all evening and night, like 16-17 hours. Darrell was home with her Friday and said she slept most of the day and was barely eating. At one point she started vomiting so he took her to the doctor. Ear infection! We got an antibiotic, which is causing diarrhea. So, fun times, ya know? 

Overall, she's a healthy baby, but I'm ready for the sickness to be gone. She's weighing right about 13 pounds and is just now starting to wear 3-6 and some 6 month clothes. 

Personality: Avery's personality is really showing these days. She is such a happy, sweet, but very sassy baby. Her feelings are not well hidden on her face. She truly is the light of our loves. Her smile is contagious and illuminates any room.

Eating: She's still having formula only for now, about 5-6 ounces every 3-4 hours. That seriously declined when she wasn't feel well though. We've decided we're going to give her her first food on Thanksgiving. How perfect, right? 

Sleeping: Avery is such a good sleeper. We definitely lucked out with this one. She typically sleeps 7p-7a. She'll wake up to eat every once in a while, but it's rare. She is still a wild sleeper and is all over the crib. She sleeps on her stomach a lot now. Her naps at daycare are getting a little better. 

Her favorites: Right now, it's her daddy. If he's around, no one else matters. It's really precious and makes my heart melt, even though it makes me a teeeeny bit jealous. We got her a Sophie the giraffe. We thought she'd love it. She likes it ok, but it's no monkey.  We did get a new bathtub that she loves (and mommy too)!! She loves kicking her feet and having water poured on her. She tries to grab it and it's the most adorable thing I've ever seen. I broke out Britax SSC and she seems to really like being worn in it. I just ordered my first woven wrap so hopefully she loves it too!! Avery is constantly playing with her feet now that she has found them. We really have no need for toys.

 

Things she can do without: She still hates getting in and out of the car seat, but she's doing better while she's actually in it. She is not a fan of being left alone. The girl loves attention. Can you blame her?

Milestones: We have a roller! Now that she can roll, she is always on her belly. Avery is all over the place. She's been lifting her butt in the air and kind of twisting from side to side. It's funny but she can really go places that way! She's also doing really well with supported sitting and can go for about a minute doing the tripod sitting. Avery is also getting better and better at holding her bottle. She usually holds it for some of the time at each feeding. 

 

 

Big events: We had some exciting times this month. Avery stayed away from us over night for the first time. She stayed with my parents in Asheville while Darrell and I went to a wedding in Knoxville. She did really good, and I did ok too.

This month was also Avery's first Halloween. Now, I've always loved Halloween and holidays, but they're even more special with a little one. We took her to the pumpkin patch...I don't think she was too impressed. She also wasn't impressed with Halloween because she SLEPT THROUGH IT. We decided to forgive her when we found out she had an ear infection. 

 

 

 

We're really looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas!

They did school pictures at her daycare and included the infant room. I thought it was silly to do studio pictures for her since 1) she can't sit up and 2) we're having professional pictures done in a few weeks.  But she was going to be there so I signed the permission form and sent her in a dress. I figured we wouldn't order but hey, we might get a good chuckle...in my head I saw her all slumped over with her many chins front and center. Oh boy, was I wrong?! They turned out so good!! I even ordered some. Of course I did, I'm such a sucker.

Mommy: I'm doing pretty good. I started a new job which means I won't be home with her two days a week anymore. She will be going to day are full time now, but it was time for the change. I'm still not loving my body, but also still not doing anything about it. Maybe one day. 

Four Months

My little one is four months old. Crazy talk!

Health: We saw the doctor today for Avery's four month check-up and shots. She is a whopping 12lbs,6oz and 24". Still a little peanut!!

She's had a cold for about a week. She is pretty happy  most of the days, but you can tell she doesn't feel good.

Personality: Avery is still the happiest little baby. She loves to smile and is so social. She definitely notices if you're talking to her and doesn't love it if you walk away.

Eating: Avery is up to 5oz. about every 3 hours. She has taken 6oz. once or twice. We're still having to give her prune juice for the constipation. We've decreased it to about every other day. We tried going two days in between, but it eventually catches back up to her. Poor thing!

We talked to her pediatrician today and he suggested starting foods between 5-6 months. He said we could start with rice cereal, but we've talked about just skipping it, which he said was fine too!

Sleeping: Avery is sleeping 7p-7a most nights. Well, I should say we start bedtime around 7. She gets a bottle, takes a bath on days she goes to daycare, and we rock and snuggle. Sometimes I offer her another ounce or two if she stays in the bath for a while. She is still all over her crib.

Avery is on a nap strike at daycare. She's there for 5.5 hours and might take a 15-30 minute nap. At home, I've moved her PnP downstairs to help her get used to napping when it's bright and louder. She still naps in her swing sometimes, but we've been napping together a lot in my bed. It's my favorite!! 

Her favorites: Avery still loves the Kick n' Play and her O'ball. She seems to be enjoying tummy time a little more.  She has found her voice and loves showing us what she can do..very loudly. Avery also likes to hold hands, play airplane and puts everything in her mouth! We can't forget about her monkey, they're inseparable!

 

Things she could do without: I don't think she enjoys sleeping in the PnP. Whenever we've been out of town and she's had to sleep in it, she always wakes up at least once. She moves so much and I think she wakes herself up kicking the sides. 

Milestones: Avery is doing much better with rolling. She's rolling from her belly to her back pretty much every time she's done with tummy time. Occasionally she still uses the face plant and whine method until someone moves her. She rolls to her side from her back, but hasn't gone all the way over yet without help. Like I said earlier, she is so vocal these days...always talking! She's getting close to grabbing her feet. She'll do it if you touch her foot to her hand, but on her own she just holds her knees. Because ya know, knees are fun. She's also making it pretty clear that she would like to sit up. She pulls her chest up when she's in her chair or getting into the car seat and can sit pretty well with support.

(This one is a little blurry, but you can see how she is trying to sit up!)

Big Events: We didn't really do much this month. She's getting into a routine of going to daycare three days a week. They love her. Of course they do! I'm getting pretty excited for her first holidays coming up.

 

Mommy: I'm still hanging in there. Some days are more overwhelming than others. It's been a challenge to get into a routine of work, being a mom and wife, keeping up with thr house, keeping up with exercise, and finding time for me. We've made a daily cleaning list and that has helped. It's easier to clean a little every day than to let it pile up. 

Of all the things that can slip, I don't want being a mom to be one of them. There are nights when we eat dinner at 8 because I don't want to just put Avery in her swing after she's been at daycare all day. I'm ok with that. I'll cook a million more dinners in my life but I will never have time back with her. I don't want to ever say that I wish I had spent more time with her. 

Here is a comparison picture and just a few of my favorites from this month!

That smile. It get's me every time!

 

I forgot to leave socks when grandma & grandpa Gibbs were babysitting. They improvised. I guess when you have 13 kids, you're pretty clever.

One of my absolute favorite pictures of her!


I also DL this awesome app called PicCal. You just upload a picture for each day. Between my phone, IG, and FB I was able to go back until the day she was born! We're going to do it for her whole first year!