Meet Our Son!

I am a little late on the birth announcement post, but our sweet, adorable son is here!!!

Elliott Andrew Povey was born at 3:33am on June 12, 2013. He came into this world weighing 8lbs, 4oz (the exact birth weight of his father) and 22.5 inches in length. Its not shocking he was born with blue eyes as most babies are, but his GINGER hair took us all a little by surprise (although I did pray for a ginger babe). He arrived quietly whimpering and eyes-wide-open curiously checking out his surroundings (for hours) at the Oshawa General Hospital via natural birth and assisted by our midwife, Lauren Wattam (a miracle worker). At a whole TEN days overdue, he graced us with his ridiculously pruney, and over-baked self only hours before a dreaded medical induction would have begun.

Labor was welcomed and enjoyed at our home, where our families congregated to enjoy fellowship, and jointly anticipate the arrival of the new grandson, cousin, nephew, son, and brother (the dogs). We moved into the hospital after some minor complications brought labor to a halt, and although our birth plan consisted of remaining at home, we couldn't be more pleased with how seamless and breathtaking our experience was.

He is every bit as precious as we expected, and exceeding our expectations in every way. This journey isn't easy, as any parent will attest, but we intend to give this little boy every bit of joy, love, and happiness that he brings to us.

Please enjoy these photos by Olivejuice Photography that were gifted to us by our good friend and Olivejuice founder and photographer, Lindsay Jeans!

xoxo

Lesleigh, Shane, and Elliott

The Big Nursery Reveal; Travel, airplanes, and VINTAGE/NOSTALGIA!!

Those of you that know me, know all too well that designing the home decor of our house just perfectly is my pride and joy in life. It is my small way of exploring my creative side, and challenging my personal limitations of design. Well, I have done it again, I have transformed our humble guest space into an oasis for a little Boy, our soon to be son!

                                                  

                                       

                The Before shots... At one time a modest guest room               

In The Process...

We started out by tearing up the carpet, and Shane diligently laid hardwood (for four months during his non-working hours). Then we refreshed the closet by painting it in a complimentary orange. Because of the double doors we plan on utilizing the floor space in the closet for toys and play space.

The inspiration began with this adorable bedding set I discovered on Etsy, only hours after finding out Baby P. was a boy, we knew we wanted to go with a light airy grey regardless of theme, and it all started from there.





 We chose 'Classic Silver' by Behr premium paint, it's an excellent subtle grey with brown tones (rather then blue or yellow) so it works great as a modern neutral. Our ultimate plan was to create a BOY room, rather then a nursery space that he will grow out of too quickly.


The color turned out to be perfectly subtle with the antique white furniture we chose (rather, 'scored' on buy/sell sites). We played around with our layout for weeks, just to be sure we had everything in the right place before putting holes in the walls.

Wallpapering the accent wall! I chose a very subtle Map print that was actually a part of pirate themed decor, however, because of the light neutral tones, it still works with our Vintage Airplane/ Travel theme.

I added a vinyl wall decal in a vintage plane print to really tie in the wallpaper with the overall travel theme. The decal also helps to define our seating area/ reading nook! This gorgeous hutch was another used score, and my parents dedicated a weekend to painting it in the matching antique white for us.

The Big Reveal!!!

Welcome! The initial view from the entrance, Isn't it dreamy? You can see the Hutch - now painted out white - creates a unified look with the rest of the furniture. 

The collage area, inspired by the large antique frame I discovered at a second-hand shop, has become a family gallery. It began with painting the frame (originally white with gold antiquing) a blue that matched the bedding. We had the other white and silver frames laying unused around the house. I antiqued the white ones as they were already looking aged and worn.


 I removed the glass in one of the large ones and created a chalkboard by painting a thin piece of wood with chalkboard paint. The two silver frames contain baby photos of Shane and I along with our Hospital birth information cards.

 From the other side of the room you can see the placement of the crib and change station. We opted for a dresser, as many seasoned parents have reported that change tables are a waste of an investment (since you are often changing the baby somewhere else in the house). 

 

                 We mounted wooden crates painted in a light charcoal onto the wall space above the change station, so that we would have plenty of storage for the necessities. And a new mini mirror I found fit perfectly with its aged/old look. 

We were sure to mount the crates high enough to allow plenty of room for lifting baby in and out of the Moses basket which we decided was a more secure choice then the contoured change pad.


I decided to continue the Vintage theme by utilizing Vintage Mason jars as storage for small items (soothers, amber jewellery, soother clips, hair brush, nail clippers, etc.) And the wooden boy sign was an original piece of Shanes nursery.

The search for the perfect hutch was long and painful, but totally worth it in the end. I was determined to provide this space with a bookshelf, but I didn't want anything that a child could reach (and ruin) without adult supervision. I also knew I was going to need extra storage space for the surplus of clothing baby P. has already acquired. Once painted, this piece has checked all the boxes, and made staging the room easy and complete.

A framed copy of our last ultrasound and a wedding photo of myself and both grandmothers are essential parts to welcoming baby to his new room.

As well, a custom book about our dogs, a framed photo of the dogs, and a growing collection of Shel Silverstein books are equally essential for us to complete his nursery, and prepare for his growing childhood.

The reading nook was  situated under the window, simply because that is where the best view of the room is. The rocking chair was from my childhood, and although in a little rough shape, we managed to salvage it and created new, comfier upholstery for it.
The little table was an antique store find, and I just happened to come across this perfectly orange lamp on a discount shelf.




A close up of the wallpaper, shows the map details are very subtle, and the vinyl decal adds the perfect punch that the reading area needed.

The crib bedding adds the color that the room needed, without being a permanent fixture in the room (which means it can easily be changed out as baby grows). The quilt was created for me by my mom, and the white is actually my leftover wedding dress fabric.


Framed maps of Canada and Ontario show our roots, and play a role in tying the theme together. And, of course, we hung some vintage style metal planes high above the bed, in place of a mobile.





So there you have it, the tour of Baby P.s new space. Lucky you, to get to see it before he does!! Now, we play the waiting game, since it would seem we are ready for baby, lets not rush it too much though, I am quite content waiting just a little bit longer.



XOXO

Lesleigh

Whats in A Name?

I won't bore you all and quote Shakespere but doesnt he say something about you are who you are regardless of what you are named??? I am not sure whether I agree or disagree, because the battle to name a child you have not met is completely overwhelming. We know (or strongly suspect) we are having a boy (or a very unfortunate-genetically-confused girl) so that is a positive start right? WRONG... there has been nothing more challenging then naming a boy, our standards are one hundred fold what we held to naming a girl;

1. Must be masculine
2. Although it is acceptable to name a girl a unisex name, it is completely unacceptable (for us) to name a boy with one. (Marley)
3. Must have two or more syllables
4. Must consist of a long version and a short version (CHRIStoper)
5. Must not be too common (Aiden)
6. Must not be too uncommon (Maverick)
7. Obviously it must flow with his middle (Andrew) and last name (Povey)
8. Must not hold him to a "label' (Wilder was a contender until we realized we could be setting ourselves up for a very rough and exhausting 18 or so years)

I am sure there is more to that list but in the confusion of searching for the perfect name, I have forgotten my own criteria.  Regardless, we have marched on through the endless google searches, baby-names books, and basically any form of inspiration we can find (including reading the endless list of film credits at the end of movies). Searching family history in case we find a sentimental namesake somewhere along the line, and spelling names backwards and sideways to see what else we can come up with. Naming a child is certainly no joke!

Well... we found it, much rather,

I found it
ran it by hubby
he approved, however did not state his absolute 'I've fallen-in-love commitment' to it
sat on it for a few weeks
I shared with a few members of my baby group (people I hardly know) just to test it out
hubby FINALLY came around to the idea of commiting to it
then BAM!!! It was hijacked by a completely ignorant, unimportant member of my baby group, one of the select few I so intimately shared it with (just to test the waters).

Not sure if you have been warned in your lifetime, but no one messes with a pregnant chick!! This includes hijacking their baby name, even if you think you hardly know the person. Seriously, at least ask if its ok! Anyway... I had a two-day complete emotional MELTDOWN... complete with insomnia, feelings of betrayal, and guilt for ruining my unborn childs life (since his name was stolen), hyperventilating, and complete and utter heartbreak.

I should have known, since so many people in this world refuse to share their potential names for this exact reason. Why should I be immune? Perhaps I figured this person resected me enough to 'friend' me on facebook, so she wouldnt dare do such a thing as this? Regardless.. it happened, I hurt, I healed and we are moving forward.

We plan to keep 'this' name... though we refuse to commit until this little boy shows his face and he gets a percentage of the say, but for now, this is it, our search is over! And as for the hijacker... she knows what she has done, and has to live with that. A simple 'Do you mind?' would have sufficed (and yes I am aware I don't actually OWN the name) but a little respect does go a long way!!!

So for all of you that are dying to know....

it's...


 RAMPAGE
(did you really think I would share after all that????)

Much love to you all... especially my lovelies that threw my a surprise shower on Sunday (details to follow in my next post) and completely cheered me up!!!

XOXO Lesleigh

Relationship Ready! Set! Go!

At the risk of sounding totally Cliché, I feel like I am living in a fantasy, I watch my husband working hard to prepare our home for baby, and I can’t help but imagine all the ways I am going to love him when he first becomes a father. I have complete faith in my husband as an honest person, as a loving soul, and as a capable father. Sure, I tease him from time-to-time saying “Oh you just wait”, “You don’t know what you’re in for” and the like (doesn’t every woman do that when carrying their husbands child?) but the truth of the matter is, He is ready. We married nearly three years ago, and had a lengthy two year engagement, all that time I wondered if this man was ever going to be “ready”. Friends and family would ask me when we were going to have kids and my reply was always the same “When Shane is ready, I can’t force him to be a father I need to wait for him to be ready, I know I could snap into it in an Instant, but if a man isn’t ready… he isn’t ready!” Well… now I know he is ready! Granted, we have spent the last two years with very little choice over the matter (in reference to our battle with infertility), but when he said he was ready… I knew something BIG was in our future, and my husband will forever be a different person.

I know my husband will be at my side during our planned Home Birth. I know he will be frantic with concern, as I go through the painful stages of labor the natural way (God willing). I know he will be drilling our midwives as he fears each painful progression and sits back helplessly wishing he could carry my pain. I know without a doubt that he will look at our son for the first time and in an instant there will be a new sparkle in his eye. He will be different. Not the man I currently know, every step of our journey from that moment forward, my husband will be an unpredictable soul. He will be faced with internal conflict as he leaves for work each morning. He will be a little less invested in his career life, and more invested in time spent at home. He will find decision making even more difficult then he already does, and for once, he will understand my constant need to “manage” my household, because he will feel a responsibility so overwhelming it will consume him. He will be terrified each time his family gets in the car to go somewhere, and he will listen for the sounds of his child breathing as he sleeps.  He will act a little less rushed, and take the time to carefully clean up the mess of a dirty cloth diaper, and will consider how his parents handled each moment when his son challenges him the way he used to.

I am incredibly excited to have this little boy enter the world and complete our family, but even more so, I am excited to watch the relationship I share with my husband blossom into something new. I recently received some very valuable advice from a friend that is closer to the other side of the parenthood journey, “Always put your relationship with your husband first, your children are important, but they grow up and leave you, your husband is the one that stays behind to grow old with you, if you allowed that to fall apart, you will have nothing left.” Not to say that our childrens needs aren’t important, but that the relationship with your children changes over time, your only constant in all of it is the strength and quality of the relationship with your spouse. In turn, our children grow up being stronger, more confident people, because they witnessed the strength and power of a truly loving and supportive relationship. Shane and I love each other beyond even words could describe, but even more importantly we want our son to know and feel it too.

This Just In; Gender Reveal Take 2!

So I snuck away this morning for a super top secret 3D gender reveal Ultrasound... and what sweet sounds did I hear, but, "Congrats...

So there you have it... In just a few short months we will be welcoming a sweet little boy into our family!! I am so excited to share our news! On a side note, this child already never fails to surprise me, since I was sincerely expecting a girl!

Aren't my photos from Olive Juice Photography fantastic?

Much Love from an excited mom-of-a-son {wow thats so weird to say ;)}

Lesleigh

Baby News



Early Tuesday morning I was scheduled for our much anticipated Gender determination Ultrasound, and late Tuesday morning I had a Gender Reveal Photo session booked with my good friend Lindsay Jeans of Olive Juice Photography. After a sleepless Monday cleaning and prepping my house as a photo studio, crafting props for the shoot, and the anxiety of what was to come, we settled into bed (late) and set our alarms for the next mornings activities.

Turns out what I thought was an 8:30 appt. was actually an 8am appt, so already our day started out late, I waited in the waiting room for hours thinking "Uh oh they are going to send me home and reschedule", but luckily enough they fit me in a little before ten. I laid on the stretcher while the very professional tech completed all her measurements and thought to myself; "What am I expecting?", "What do I want it to be?". All this time I had been preparing myself for a Girl, for no particular reason other then that it was my 'gut feeling' and although I also want a boy I was afraid that hearing "Congrats! Its a Boy" would set me into a whirl wind of emotions, simply because I was so certain it was a girl, that I genuinely couldnt wrap my head around the idea of a boy. But in those moments as I lay there waiting for this exciting news, I realized... No matter what sweet words come out of the techs mouth, boy or girl, I will be happy... nothing changes, this is still my baby made equally from the DNA of both hubby and myself, and there is no sweeter gift then that! Sure I want a girl so I can buy frilly dresses and FINALLY get away with painting a room in my house pink, but a boy would also bring so much Joy into my life too. I firmly believe that there would be nothing better to witness then the bond between my husband and his Son, or alternatively that of him and a daughter. No matter what the result could have been, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am about to be a mom... the one thing I have sought my whole life to accomplish.

The tech took us through babes anatomy; 'Head and shoulder knees and toes' (sorry I couldn't resist). Then... she said it... "I hope you dont want to know the gender because I can't see a thing", annnnnnnnnnd my heart stopped, just for a moment, and I took a breath like I had just had the wind knocked out of me. My reaction was to shake what little baby belly I have and cry out "Can't we wake it up? lets get it moving, maybe give me some pop!". As it turns out, this truly is my husbands child because it didnt budge (though the heartbeat was clearly visible) and it remained curled with its knees to its chest, and its tiny feet hiding the only area I really needed to see. Now, not only do I have to look forward to a lifetime of rebellious actions from my husband but clearly this little critter is going to follow in his footsteps.

I regret not being able to reveal to you top secret information from within my womb... but I would still love to share with you a few photos from my not so gender revealing Photoshoot yesterday, Courtesy of Olive Juice Photography

I hope you enjoy, even if it's not quite what you were waiting to hear!

Much Love,

Lesleigh

Bragging Rights! Sharing my savings!

As some of you may already know I pride myself on being frugal and sensible. With that said I can hardly breathe when I walk into stores like Babies-R-Us and see the mark-ups on the baby items they sell. These items are only used for such a short period of time, and in my opinion, they should be priced accordingly. Instead, companies like to take advantage of this overzealous, excited, gift-giving market and charge an arm and a leg for their products, just because they know we will fall for it. Well I for one will not stand for it!!! And I ask that those of you thinking about gifting items our way also consider what is reasonable, and honestly... I would prefer you purchase a nice used item, then to over spend for my sake.

I have, indeed, registered at Babies-R-Us, only for the sake of creating an easy-to-access list for everyone so they know what we still need; otherwise, I am not expecting anyone to break the bank over me. I have carefully researched items based on their function/durability/price because if I didn’t I would likely pick all the expensive items thinking that that equals quality... which I have found it most certainly doesn't. I have also networked with moms to find out what items are most useful, and selected the items I felt had duel purposes, rather than two buy to separate items. I am also aware that many items won't even get used since "baby" will have its own preferences (swing vs. vibration).

I have been lucky enough to be going through this pregnancy at a time where internet socializing is extreme, meaning I have been able to network with a large group of moms all due in June, and have several mom-to-mom buy and swap sites at my fingertips, and the well-known kijiji. It has only been Seven years since my nephew came around, and my sister didn’t have nearly the resources that I do. Even when it comes to gaining knowledge around pregnancy it seems like I have so much more awareness then my sisters did, simply because of internet social connections. 

Anyway... my point is... I just wanted to show off some of my great finds (and savings) because I really think it’s worth bragging about!
 

Scored this used Bumbo Chair with the tray for $30 {retail value approx. $90, savings = $60}, also we got the seal of approval from our Chihuahua



Bought this travelling stroller for $41 at the Zellers clearout sale {retail value $69.99, total savings =  $28.99}

 

This Arms Reach Co-sleeper Bassinet can no longer be purchased in or shipped to Canada, I managed to find it barely used for $80 {Retail Value $300 = Total Savings $220}

Got This Gem on kijiji from a  sweet family, they also threw in an expensive Organic Mattress that was hardly used and both in immaculate condition $100 {Retail Value Crib $600, Mattress $400, Total Savings = $900}

I have also been blessed with a few hand me downs from friends and scored a number of other items from buy-and-sell sites saving to the tune of nearly $2500 so far. If your reading this and considering buying your baby items the same way, here are some rules of thumb to follow;

1. Refuse to pay more then half the original cost of any used item! {Some people will attempt to sell for more then that and I don't think it is right, because often times stores have sales and sell these items for close to 50% off brand new}

2. Make hygiene your priority {There are many warnings about buying and selling used breast pumps due to the degree of difficulty to maintain a clean system, as a rule of thumb I will only buy new bottles, and cloth diapers and other various items for the same reason}

3. Maintain your childs safety {I will not buy a used car seat because I want to ensure it has not been in an accident or expired, as well as ensuring all items have properly functioning harness systems, and being aware of the dangers/ recalls of some items}

4. Use your judgement {I scrutinize the photo of the item so I don't waste my time driving to pick up an item that isn't as advertised. In the background I can usually see if the home is well-kept, and the quality of the photo tells me whether they have possession of quality items, and take good care of them. If the photo is taken from the web, I request an actual photo of the item. Also because I know I have a lot of items I am looking for I often ask if they have other baby items they are selling that might be worth me picking up when I get there}

5. Make Exceptions if it is warrented {I was dead set on purchasing a new mattress for Hygiene/comfort reasons, however, after touring the couples home, and seeing first hand the quality and condition of the item, not to mention the fact that it was better then anything I would have purchased new, I decided to keep it}

6. Network using facebook {In my area there are four groups that I have joined that are specific to buying-and-selling childrens items. If you search "Buy and Sell" and the name of your town you should be able to connect with them. Kijiji tends to be my last resort, because I end up having to drive a farther distance for those items}

7. Research the Product {When I see something I like, I check it out online to see the original price, so I know if I am getting a deal or not. The beauty of these sites is that if I find something of a better value I can still purchase it and resell the more expensive version and get my money back}

8. Document your savings {If your like me you will want to write down the cost of the item and the amount you would have paid new, then you can look back and know what you were able to budget, and it just feels good!}

Lastly, Have fun!! It's easy to purchase items like this and not end up with the buyers remorse you feel when you know you overspent. Even though I had a lot of items to buy all at once, I know the savings far exceeds the value of it all, and in the end my child with have its needs met and my wallet will still be full.

This Glass is Officially Half Full

I am officially 20 weeks and the suspense of finding out Baby Ps Gender is killing me! I am not going to tell you the date I find out, because I don’t need everyone I know calling me that whole day, but I will tell you I will reveal to you within 72 hours of our ultrasound. I will also say that it is still a long enough wait that I am sleepless with anticipation. 

So far so good on the baby baking home front. Little Bean has been hyperactive as expected, based on his/her paternal genes. With each appointment. and ultrasound baby P has been flipping and dancing about and the heart-rate is loud and rapidly steady. My gut instinct tells me he is a she, but Hubby is expecting (as all dads do) his little boy. Either way we are happy to know it’s a healthy pregnancy and however this story ends we will be far more “complete” at the end of it.

I have had the pleasure of bidding farewell to the nasty morning sickness that plagued me (as long as I maintain a steady intake of diclectin that is) and food appeals to me once again, though I haven’t had any “Cravings” to claim, because now I am just rehabilitating my steady eating pattern. I have however, been introduced to a whole new pregnancy symptom, Anxiety! I should mention that in my state of dismal illness and the accelerated scent of smell I took a fit regarding our stained, worn-out, stinky carpet so we tore up nearly 800sq/ft of it in our house, which means… now at 5 months pregnant our bedrooms, hallways, and main staircase are down to the subfloor and we have a baby on the way. So…. A whole new freak-out has been upon me; how will we afford this? Where will we find the time to get it done? What kind of flooring do we want now? And poor hubby is left thinking “Why did I listen to this irrational pregnant women in the first place, the carpet was perfectly fine!”  Regardless, this is where we are at, and I am ready to nest… but I have no nursery to nest in, AND it’s another two week wait for the hardwood that we ordered for the floors. I have maintained a steady stream of purging, getting rid of hard cornered coffee tables, and pretty home accents that in the hands of a child morph into dangerous weapons, this is sensible right? I know my husband thinks I have gone sort of crazy, except for the fact that I have sold most of my purged goods to fund some of the baby expenses. (Bonus!)

My plans were to keep this blog updated so I could adequately document the stages of this pregnancy, however, with all this stress (and working 12hr shifts) there has been so much else to think about. Besides all that, up until now I have felt sort of silly connecting with this pregnancy.  What I mean is that I love the idea of talking to and caressing my belly, but for the first four months I just felt like a chubster talking to my rolls (If you have been pregnant before I am sure you know what I mean).  I could have acquired the pregnant waddle in the first stages too (God knows my back pain warranted it) but then I would have left people wondering what I had stuck up my a**, it just isn’t the same without the belly! I have driven by the empty “women with child” parking spot many times, but felt too silly and capable to use it, and I still lift and pull and strain because I don’t want anyone thinking I’m a wuss. It’s only been this month that I have begun to feel ‘connected’ afterall my belly has extended past my breasts, and the faint marks of distress on my skin make it hard to ignore. Hubby has also taken an interest in reading childrens books to my bump, and baby responds with forceful pokes from within my belly.  Oh… and how can I forget the sleepless nights, I was thrilled to begin a month of night shifts in the new year, only to find I can’t sleep during the day either! Not to complain, but this growing sac of fluid in my belly feels like a second bladder and all I want to do is pee, even when my actual bladder is empty. When I lay down on my stomach (as I am used to sleeping) it feels like there is a lump between my hips, and when I side sleep (as recommended) my belly tilts toward the bed and strains my ligaments in an uncomfortable manner. The worst of it all is the restless leg syndrome that I seem to have acquired so even when I am comfortable my leg can’t stop dancing across the bottom of the bed. My overly cuddly dogs have even noticed, as they now avoid my side of the bed altogether.

On the bright side (and with pregnancy its always brighter), I have been scouring buy, sell, and swap sites and have scored the majority of my baby goods for less than $1500, which has so far translated to a savings of over $2500. Gathering everything from vintage/antique pieces to modern day new and unused items, but of course it’s difficult to fully appreciate when they are piled upon each other in our storage room anxiously awaiting the hardwood floors in the nursery. 

So this is where I am at; living in a construction zone, getting bigger by the day, and emotionally unstable (did I mention that part?), but I am wearing a smile, because this little “Bean” is a blessing in the truest form, and we are building a solid foundation in which to raise it… regardless of which gender is revealed on Jan….

Haha, and you thought I was going to tell you!!!!

Much love,

Lesleigh