Big changes and support
This baby has been a wonderful surprise for us. However, when we found out we were expecting we didn't have any idea how to tackle all the challenges. We don't have any family in the state we live in or even close. I am curious as to how others made it work to get ready for baby.
It has taken a lot of adjustments but it's almost time now and we are mostly ready. This is the story of one of our challenges, getting our small house ready (saving enough to afford maternity leave is a whole other long story):
First I was super overwhelmed be having to make space for baby. We only have a two bedroom house and the extra bedroom had been my sewing room for years! It was packed! We have been married 12 years so we were pretty much set in our ways with no idea we would become parents. Slowly but surely, with lots of help, we now have a beautiful nursery.
We do have a small loft area that had been an office/library space. The first step was getting rid of lots of books 😢. Then we sorted and shredded through years of papers to keep only what we really needed. It was hard but liberating! Eventually the office area was condensed enough to become a desk and drawer chest by a wall between the living room and dining room. Then some friends (who were also expecting and had their little girl a week and a half later) helped my husband move my sewing and cutting tables, machines, dress forms and equipment into the loft area. It is way smaller and a lot tighter than before but the baby is worth it. That is the last thing that still needs to be organized. I won't be able to have everything out like I used to and will have to take things out and put them away under tables and in corners when I don't need them. I am sad I haven't been able to sew for baby because the space isn't set up but being realistic I know I haven't had the time because I've been working so much extra to save money to take my maternity leave. Again, worth it.
I had to clear the closet in the extra bedroom because it was full of my clothes and patterns. It took days but I purged and got rid of 7 trash bags of clothing to give away and about two to throw out. That made space to move clothes into my own bedroom's closet and clear out the baby's.
Two little girls from my church wanted to come to see my dog because he's just that cute. This was after the baby showers so our dining room area was full of gifts. My husband was in no hurry to move them up so I had been slowly burning up one at a time. These girls were like little machines. They cleaned, sorted, organized and stored all the gifts in a few hours!
When my husband had a day off while I was at work I'd send him texts with ways he could help: cleaning the tub, fixing a drawer, bringing laundry up and down the stairs... It was helpful to be specific as to what I needed. He didn't do all I asked but he did a lot and he also did some extra things like setting up the pack n play in our bedroom and hanging the new curtains.
Hubby and I used the 4h of July to set up the last few things in the nursery and now, at 36 weeks, what seemed impossible to us when we found out we were pregnant is now a dream come true.
We still have to set up the new sewing area in the loft. One of the walls in the baby's nursery is still a shelf with fabrics but they are all in fabric boxes and look nice. My mom and dad will come when I'm 38 weeks and they will help me get anything else ready and to plan ahead for meals.
I thought I was losing my happy place when I had to give up my sewing room but now I love being in his nursery dreaming and waiting for him. 😊
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