room by room: otto's room

Since having a baby, my home interior design project has come to a halt.  I don't know when I will ever have the time or the money to continue on it... it doesn't really matter anyway.  My home will always be my home and I will probably always want to update it.  Anyway, Adam and I were able to put together Otto's nursery.  It was formerly a guest bedroom and we kept the kelly green wall, it being the perfect color for a baby boy's room.

As you can tell from the pictures, I am not a minimalist.  I love color and clutter and there was no exceptions when decorating this boy's nursery.  It is probably a little over stimulating for him, but he'll thank me when he's older... I hope.  I had intended for the room to have a theme of birds and trees, but that quickly morphed into a little bit of everything.  Using old pictures, antique toys, and family relics, Otto's nursery is an olio of old and new.  Here are the pictures of it...  I will share with you how I came across some of the items and their history.

Here is a full view of the room and famous green wall.  The hanging balloons are from Pottery Barn Kids and the "Otto" letters, Anthropologie.  I found the crib in Dallas and the changing table is actually an art deco dresser/desk that I found at a roadside antique store.  The crib folk art bedding is from Serena & Lilly.  Don't worry, I took the bumper off after taking these pictures... it killed me to do it because I loved the pattern so much!

The large, vintage United States poster I found in the armoire that I inherited from Granny.  I found the United States picture entitled, "My Roots Lie Here" on zulily.com.  It was half off and pretty cool because I personalized to have a heart over Nebraska and a heart over Texas (hard

to see in picture because of the flash).  

Front view of the room... curtains are from Anthropologie.

Collage wall.  This is just a hodgepodge of pictures and things I found and had framed.  My mom gave me the stuffed longhorn wall hanging in honor of my alma mater, UT.  Adam was not happy that this was going in the room.  I found "the Huskers" poster at Adam's grandparents house and had it framed.  The bandit artwork I bought at Yard Dog several years ago in Austin.  It is difficult to see, but I also included a photo of my dad catching a touchdown pass when he was in high school.  I bought the buttons at a flea market.  They were displayed on cardboard and I liked it so much I had it framed.  The art print of a city by the sea came from Etsy.

Glider is from Pottery Barn Kids, pillows from Land of Nod, and the pouf is from Serena & Lilly.  The giraffe lamp is from Jonathan Adler.

The nightstand is another relic from Adam's grandparent's house.

Pictures of me and Adam as messy eating babies.

The shelves I found in the garage of Adam's grandparents, Howard and Winnie's, house.  They were pretty dirty and had paint on them.  I cleaned them up and left the paint stains.  The star flag art I bought at Lee Douglas Interiors in Lincoln.

On top of the shelves:  Teddy bear made from a quilt that was my dad's when he was a baby.  Bee drawing done by me!  Owl night light on top of White Owl cigar box is from Land of Nod (thanks Melinda Shanklin!)  There is a photo of Adam's grandfather, Elmer Otto's, football team in high school.    Adam's dad gave us that photo after Otto was born.  Finally, a toy Porche (Adam's favorite) that was once a collectible of Adam's grandfather, Howard.

Elmer has the star above his head.

On one of the shelves I included the school pictures of my uncle, Munger, way back in the day.  I also included one of Adam's school pictures... I think he might have been in the first grade.  I also used a wooden truck with a loader and scooper (perfect for a construction contracter's son!) as a book end.  This toy is by Melissa & Doug... I love their stuff!

By the shelves is a mini rocking chair that belonged to my dad as a kid.

This is the armoire that I got from my grandmother, Granny, when she died.  I love the detailed carvings on it.  Adam told me that this armoire is going to be in this room forever because it weighs about 5 thousand pounds... sorry Adam.  The moon pendant I got as a baby gift.  I think it is from My Cup of Tea in Lubbock.  My mom bartered with a guy to get the apple crate and two other fruit crates for me.  I made it into a toy box and I think it works nicely.

Bird house that I found at an antique store for ten dollars!

So there you have it!  Otto's little, baby-land nook in our house.  I think he really likes his room!

otto's songs.

Maybe it's the huge amount of oxytocin pumping through my body by breastfeeding.  Maybe it's the fact that I created another human life.  Maybe I am sappy or crazy.  It is probably all of the above.

Anyway, the point I would like to make is that lately music as been moving me like never before.  It is not just the melodies of songs, which I have always been drawn to, but certain lyrics have been touching me down to my core.  I have been singing to Otto a lot lately.  He seems to like music just as much as me... for now at least.

One of my favorite things to do is sing to him in the morning.  We have a song, you see.  Adam and I don't even have a song, but Otto and I do.  Our song is "Your Song" by Elton John.  Everyday I sing this song to my son and he coos and laughs.  I can see the wheels moving as he is beginning to understand how much he means to me and me to him.  "Your Song" is just one of many that represent how I feel about him.  So, I created a playlist for Otto.

In fourteen years he is probably going to be embarrassed by this playlist.  I hope that one day when he is a father, he will create a playlist for his son or daughter.  So, I will leave you with Otto's songs... songs of motherly love that he is not too embarrassed to listen to with his mama... for now.

Otto's Songs

1.  "Your Song" by Elton John
2.  "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers
3.  "Our House" by Crosby, Stills and Nash
4.  "Oh Heavenly Day" by Patty Griffin
5.  "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson (Otto goes nuts when I play this one)
6.  "Return to Pooh Corner" by Kenny Loggins
7.  "Hey Jude" by The Beatles
8.  "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green
9.  "Come's a Time" by Neil Young
10. "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole

long time, no blog.

Well hello there.  Long time no blog.  I apologize for leaving you hanging... but, I been a little busy, you see.  Busy figuring out how to be a mama.  I am writing this blog post today with a sleepy baby boy in my arms.  He will dose off to sleep for about 15 minutes and then be all ready to go again.  He is not much of a napper which leaves me little time to do much else during my days.

Motherhood has been quite a whirlwind for me.  A blur of milk, poop, thrown up milk, a little sleep, more poop, pee, no sleep, and tears... both mine and Otto's.  If I had it to do all over again would I?  You bet I would.  Hard as some days may be, he has been the best miracle of my life.  This child brings me such a joy that I have never known before.  My heart just melts when he smiles and laughs, which is happening more and more each day.

Today my baby boy, Otto, is already 7 weeks old.  People told me that it goes fast... boy, were they right.  I don't know when my next post will be, but I promise I won't quit on you.  Next time you hear from me, I will hopefully be more rested and coherent...

there's somebody i'd like you to meet...

Everyone, I like for you to meet my son, Otto.

Otto J Petsch, that is.  He decided to make his appearance into my life on his due date, June 12, 2012.  He arrived at 5:50pm, weighing 8 pounds and 1 ounce.  He is a long boy, measuring 21 1/4 inches.  I have so many emotions from that fateful day, but I will share those with you on another post.

I would like to tell you how Adam and I came across the name Otto.  We didn't know if he was going to be a boy or a girl, but had decided on this name for a boy quite early in my pregnancy.  You see, Otto is named after four, very important men in my and my husband's lives.  Otto comes from Adam's grandfather, Elmer Otto Petsch.  The initial J is actually representative of three men, my father Jim Adams, my stepfather John Kevin Taylor, and finally, Adam's other grandfather, Howard J Cather.  It is really quite amazing that we could honor each of these loved family men in just one little boy.

Not having much time these days to blog, I will leave you with that and share more later.  For now, enjoy these first few pictures of Otto's arrival.

first moments of life

hello

flowers!

Chloe and Cael (cousins)

Bebe (my mom)

the nurses loved his name

Grandma and Grandpa (AP's parents)

such wisdom in a mudflap.

About six months ago, a business went up next to my husband's place of work.  This place is called "U Pull It".  The concept of this place is basically a junk yard full of beater cars and trucks where people can pay to pick off any parts that they find on these vehicles.  For those of you who know my husband, this was a dream come true for him... and my worst nightmare.

Adam has loved having this place next door and has even become good friends with the guy that runs the whole operation.  AP has a "free pass" into the yard and always gets a heads up when "valuable" items come up for grabs.  So far my husband has come home with an old Dodge pickup (not parts, the whole thing), a tailgate from an International (I think this is a Scout), and many more items that he has hidden from me.  

To my pleasant surprise, a few weeks ago Adam brought home a mudflap from a semi truck.  He said when he picked it off, he had me in mind... so romantic, I know.  I was actually tickled pink to see that this mudflap said, "Nebraska: The Good Life," which you observant readers may recognize as the title of this blog.  So in a weird way, I am quite flattered that my husband meshed two of his favorite loves together, me and car parts.  Oh, we've come so far!

5 signs you're about to have a kid.

It is has been over a month since my last blog post... I have truly wanted to write, but haven't had the energy or the time.  Now I find myself into my first day of maternity leave (woo hoo) and a week away from my due date (June 12).  For the first time in a while, I have had a moment to take a breath, relax, and type.

Last week the doctor told us that I was exhibiting signs of pre-labor and was dilated to 2cm.  Exciting, right?  Well, it is basically a waiting game now because the signs the doctor saw could mean tomorrow or two weeks away.  However, I know that the end of this pregnancy is approaching and the beginning of my child's life outside the womb is near because of the following signs....

1.  My boobs are leaking.

Sorry guys who just read that, but it's a fact of life.  My body is preparing to become the main source of food for my little one.

2.  There is actually space again between my belly and my boobs again.

Again, my apologies for talking about my boobs... just means that Peanut has dropped and gravity is bringing him or her closer to life outside of me.

3.  I am on a hormonal roller coaster ride.

Seriously, I am like someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  Two days ago, I thought everything in the world sucked, a product of my Eeyore-like depressive symptoms.  Then, a couple of days later I woke up with a maniac-like attitude.  I thought that everything in life was wonderful and I made the rash decision to tell my hairstylist to dye my hair platinum blonde.... I look like the mean kid in Slytherin house from Harry Potter.  The next day a watched Ghost on tv for the bazillionth time and cried like a baby... I mean sobs were involved.

4.  Braxton Hicks now feel like a kick in the stomach.

Literally, these things feel like I am getting the wind knocked out of me.  They are supposed to get stronger as you get closer to labor... great.

5.  I forgot what this one is...

Truly, my brain is shot to hell.  Somedays I can't even remember my own name.  "Baby brain" only gets worse the further along you get in your pregnancy.

This is all I have for now, I keep you posted...

june 12 can't get here fast enough...

Ugh... I am so uncomfortable.  At just 33 weeks, I am in for a long road ahead.  There are positives and negatives about having a very active baby.  One positive is that I never have to worry about counting the baby's movements to make sure he/she is okay.  However, a negative side to this is that the baby is moving ALL THE TIME and as he/she grows bigger those movements feel less and less awesome.

It is hard to describe what it feels like when my baby is moving inside of me.  It is not quite painful, although a couple of times the power behind shim's (she + him) movements has caused me to wince in pain.  Nevertheless, most of the time it is sort of like a sensation of butterflies in one's stomach, only intensified.  For example, have you ever ridden on a roller coaster?  You know that first leg of the ride where you go up up up and then more up until you reach the top and shoot straight down?  I always hated that part because it felt like my stomach was dropping out of my body.  Well, that is pretty much what it feels like for me and this happens several times throughout the day.

Seven weeks feels so close to me and yet so far away.  I now understand what women mean when they talk about wanting their baby out of them ASAP.  I know I shouldn't complain because their are so many blessings for me in this whole experience... but, dang Peanut, can you give your mom just a little break?

Last week at 32 weeks

thank you.

As many of you know, I am working towards my yoga teacher certification by attending trainings that are held one weekend a month through Yoga Body and Balance here in Lincoln, NE.  This past weekend, I attended our April training.  This weekend was a little different from previous trainings and not just in the subject matter.

The schedule during these weekends is always packed with twelve hours (both Saturday and Sunday) of bountiful knowledge and physical practice.  This weekend was no exception, except much adaptation was needed due to surprising weather.  Not growing up in Nebraska, I am not as prepared as others around the area for possibilities of tornadoes and imminent storms in the month of April.  Needless to say, Saturday was an ongoing fluctuation of massive thunderstorms and tornado warnings throughout the state.  My mind was in a constant battle of worry, doubt, and the feeling of being out of control of the situation. 

Due to the inclement weather, our training schedule was altered and we ended Saturday three hours early so that individuals could go home and safely prepare for the possibility of a tornado or massive storm.  I spent the rest of the afternoon at my in-laws awaiting a break in what felt like Mother Nature's wrath.  At 5pm there was a brief lull and I hurriedly jumped in my father-in-law's SUV and headed home so that I could be with Adam and sleep in my own bed that night.  My hands were quite sore from gripping the wheel by the time I got home.

To accommodate for the three hours missed on Saturday, we had to add those hours onto Sundays schedule, making it a long training day of nine hours instead of six.  Already physically and emotionally tired from the previous day's anxiety invoking storms and continual forecast warnings, I walked into our training at 8am with much less vigor than I normally do.

As the day progressed, my body and mind consistently sank.  Everything hurt...  I had a headache, my belly button felt like it was about to rip apart, my feet felt as it 30lb weights had been dropped on them, I could feel my hips widening and the ligaments around them screaming in protest, my tailbone (which I broke as a kid) felt as if it was re-breaking, and well... enough of my complaining, you get the idea.  Needless to say, it was not my day.

Sunday morning, during our practice of meditation, my fellow STF (student-teacher-friend), Camie, shared her experience of driving in that morning and relating her experience of being in "stormy weather" to her yoga practice.  It was so meaningful to hear her words as I was in my own storm cloud that day.  I began to realize that whatever your reason is for practicing yoga, whether it be for relaxation, physical activity, or emotional and spiritual welfare, the practice does not help you avoid personal storms, but allows you to find ways to overcome them if you are open to it.

I made the difficult decision on Sunday to leave our training early and go home and rest.  Many of you are probably thinking, "So what, you are eight months pregnant.  Go for it.".  Well unfortunately, I am a pusher in a negative way and "going home early" goes against the personal expectations I have set for myself.  What I mean by this is that I often push myself physically and emotionally past it's limits to detrimental outcomes.  It is hard for me to back off, because somewhere along my timeline of growing up, I learned that to back off meant that I was a failure.

So back to yesterday, for the last hour before we broke for lunch, I was in mental turmoil as the need for rest became more and more demanding on me and my unborn child.  When I told our facilitators, Thomas and Tataya, that I needed to go home, my request was met with love, concern, and importantly, respect for my decision.  I kept apologizing to Thomas for having to miss the rest of the training.  Thomas made the profound comment, "Why apologize when you can say thank you."

Because of my weary state, Thomas' advise didn't really sink in until this morning when I woke up feeling physically and emotionally better after many hours of sleep and rest.  The fact is, it is often a much stronger action to back off than to push forward.  We talked about this on Sunday as another STF, Tanya, shared how her pregnancy shaped her yoga practice into a more profound experience.  It is so true.  There are many yoga poses that are not healthy for a pregnant woman and/or her baby which has led to my growing inner wisdom of when to go for it and when to back off.  Being pregnant completely changes your entire yoga practice and hopefully one learns how powerful it is to let go into the experience instead of trying to physically push your body to its limits. 

So back to Thomas' comment... I completely understand it now.  Why apologize for doing the right thing for your mind, body, and soul?  Why apologize when you can say thank you to yourself for having the strength, patience, and inner wisdom to recognize what is best for you and your baby?  Why apologize when you can say thank you to the people around you who respect and support you with all of their hearts?  Looking back now, my experience yesterday was not a moment of weakness, but a moment of strength and balance.  I couldn't have done it without the support of all my STFs.  So today, I say thank you to myself and the people around me... I recommend you do the same because it feels amazing!

april showers.

As the saying goes, "April Showers...".  Well, not only has this month brought it's fair share of rain showers, but I have also been so blessed to be showered with tons of love and baby gifts from dear friends and family members.  Adam's mother, Cathie's, dear friends Susie and Barb threw me an afternoon shower last Saturday at Susie's lovely home.  I was so elated because my mom, stepdad - Kevin, and his daughters Jessica and Kayla were able to drive up for the weekend.  The girls and I (with the occasional assistance from my mother and Adam) spent two hours assembling a Pack N' Play.  I decided from that moment that we were never going to take that thing down.  It's just staying up....

In addition, the next day was spent at Adam's sweet Aunt Jo's house.  Our time there was spent celebrating Easter and the upcoming birth of Baby Petsch.  Aunt Jo was so amazing to organize the entire Easter event and incorporate a family baby shower.  Here are some pictures from my amazing weekend...

this april ain't for no fools!

I woke up yesterday morning on April Fool's Day and really thought that Mother Nature was playing a joke on me.  Nebraska in April is usually in the 50s and 60s.  Yesterday, the high was 90 degrees.  Whew, that's toasty... for a second I thought I was in Texas.

Anyway, Adam and I were not made fools of on that beautiful April day.  Both of us spent the day working on the baby's nursery and focusing on indoor and outdoor home projects that we have been putting off for a while.  I think we are entering the nesting phase...

I usually love hot weather, and I was thrilled that it was so warm yesterday.  However, when I get in the heat as a very developed pregnant woman, we're talking about another experience all together.  Do you remember those Sumo Wrestler body suits that people used to put on for fun and roll around in at birthday parties?  Well, that's what I feel like now...  kind of puts a damper on your abilities to efficiently nest.  Nevertheless, this beautiful spring weather motivates me and I am going to keep on keeping on (probably very slowly) until Peanut makes his/her appearance.