I feel like I have stumbled upon some new found energy, most of it probably has to do with the fact that I am now about 3 weeks into my second trimester, yes folks, I’m pregnant!!  We are expecting a new addition July 1st.  This is our first so everything in this pregnancy is new to me, especially the extreme lack of energy.

The past few months I haven’t made anything a priority except sleeping, showering, and making it to work, reasonably on time.  But slowly within the past few weeks I have realized that I am capable of doing more each day.  It’s a pretty exciting feeling!  At the same time though suddenly I am coming up with lists in my head of everything I need to accomplish before my energy disappears again.

I know a lot of people make a list of 30 things to do before turning 30, a “30 before 30” list if you will.  But I’ll be 30 in 3 months so it’s a little late for that, but in 5 months I’ll have a baby and I feel like turning 30 isn’t as much of a life’s milestone/life changer as compared to having a baby, in the way of life adjustments, especially in regards to free time.  Some tell me fun ends once the baby arrives…cough cough…Nicole!  Now I know that isn’t the case, but I do understand that my personal time for hobbies will greatly decrease which is a shame with all that time off of work.  Too bad I can’t have pre-maternity leave since maternity leave will basically consist of feeding and sleeping.

My two biggest things that I have already checked off my list were a fabulous wine tasting weekend and a trip to Europe.  We went to Sonoma in September for our 1 year anniversary and it was absolutely wonderful.  I didn’t post about it, but it was the perfect weekend getaway.  We flew into Oakland, rented a car, and drove up.  I have been blessed with an incredibly generous family that lent us their condo.  We rented bikes and rode from vineyard to vineyard in the sun.  Oh, and the best part was that just as we started out we found $100 cash in the park.  Totally random, there was no one around, so we used it to buy our wine along with over priced fruit and cheese plates at the wineries, definitely lived it up like rock stars!

But I digress.  It must just be my longing for wine talking!  Long story short, I got my wine tasting weekend in!  And it was fabulous!  As was Europe!

Ok, back to my list.  I don’t know if I can really get to 30 things

I need to finish what I started:

Last April I posted 2 photos hinting of what was to come…and nothing ever did.   I’ve made some progress, but never finished a post to share.  So:

• 1.  Finish gallery wall  UPDATE: FINISHED
• 2.  Finish multi-photo wall project  UPDATE: FINISHED
• 3.  Finish starburst mirror (latest progress seen here)

I posted progress on our bedroom, but didn’t do anything beyond that.  So:

• 4.  Build a head board  UPDATE: FINISHED
• 5.  Create a jewelry organization system in order to clean off dresser
• 6.  Figure out what to put up on the walls

Out in the garage I have 4 different furniture projects in progress.  So:

• 7.  Finish upholstering garden club chairs (latest progress seen here)
• 8.  Finish ugly brown chair project
• 9.  Build low round tufted ottoman from coffee table remnant
• 10.  Finish mirror project UPDATE: FINISHED

In the garden, we need to:

• 11.  Refinished ReStore doors for the shed (this one I could take or leave – not important)
• 12.  Build new retaining wall and fence, and re level the yard (hiring out for this, we might tackle the fence together…and by we, I mean Jesse)
• 13.  Re side the front of the house UPDATE: FINISHED (but still needs paint)  UPDATE: Painting FINISHED
• 14.  Build a second vegetable bed  UPDATE: FINISHED
  

In the living room, we need to:

• 15.  Buy a TV console which I will probably want to refinish  UPDATE: FINISHED
• 16.  Buy the perfect living room rug, something soft for the little one to play on…currently in the research phase  UPDATE: FINISHED

Last but definitely not least…the baby’s room:

Here it is now

The room is so small, it was hard to get a good picture, so I opted to take 4 and post them together, hopefully it makes sense.  As of now, this room is part laundry room, part storage, part project room, part give away pile room, part Jesse’s closet, part guess room, and experimental paint color room.  I’ve sampled many colors, and after all the sampling, I think we have decided to go with the same paint color that is our room, which is a warm cream color.

Obviously there is a LOT to do in this room, and will definitely need to be done in stages!

• 17.  Clean out the room UPDATE: FINISHED
• 18.  Repair/plaster/paint ceiling UPDATE: FINISHED
• 19.  Find and wire new ceiling light UPDATE: FINISHED
• 20.  Paint walls, buy crib, dresser, shelving, and chair…and decorate UPDATE: FINISHED

I feel like at this point I have 20 solid to-do items, I have about 23 weeks left, and I know that they won’t all be productive, so the remainder are just personal reminders for my last few childless months.

• 21.  Relax
• 22.  Sleep, making sure to enjoy full nights
• 23.  Enjoy having nothing to do
• 24.  Spend time with friends
• 25.  Exercise – take long walks
• 26.  Plant a garden
• 27.  Take weekend getaways
• 28.  Enjoy taking long showers in peace
• 29.  Go on dates with Jesse
• 30.  Enjoy growing a baby and mentally/emotionally/physically prepare ourselves for a baby!

I’m sure all the mothers out there can definitely add to that list!  Any good suggestions? :)