Making Room for Baby

I think I mentioned a few weeks ago I’m going to have to do some work on my condo to get it ready for a baby.  I only have one bedroom, but I have an upstairs loft that leads into my bedroom that would be perfect for a nursery.  Except for one drawback - it’s open to the downstairs, with just an iron railing between the floor and the open space below.  Which means the room won’t be quiet, and I won’t be able to put any furniture against the railing, for fear of Chiquitita climbing up on it, leaning over the railing and falling down to the dining room table below.  Hence the idea of taking down the railing, and putting in a wall with a window, to let in some natural light.

The loft and kitchen below (the day I moved in)

Today I met with Bob, my architect, who was wonderful.  He had lots of great suggestions, was able to plot out the size of the landing I’d need at the top of the stairs, and address some of the tricky construction issues that have me nervous this won’t work. He took lots of measurements today, will draw up a plan in the next few days and email it to me.  If I approve, it’ll be sent to the County for a permit.  There is the possibility that they won’t like the shape/size of the landing, and if that’s the case, we’ll just scrap the door and I can put in a baby gate and a thick curtain when the time comes. 

My soon to be nursery started out as my office, and I have a lovely built-in desk surrounded by bookshelves that I had installed when I first moved in.  I wish that I had just bought some bookshelves and a desk that I could easily move out, but since I didn’t do that, I’ve decided to keep the unit installed.  It really is nice, and I think I might be able to turn part of the desk into a changing table.

It's exciting, starting to make plans like this!  But it also makes me a little nervous.  Nervous that I'll get the project done and I'll hate it.  Nervous that I'll never be able to sell my condo because everyone who looks at it will say, "If only this room were an open loft..."  And, for some reason, taking this first step of creating a nursery feels as if I'm finally allowing myself to believe that I really am pregnant, that I really will have a baby in 2011.  No matter how long I've dreamed of this, and how hard I've prayed for this, it still surprises me when I start to think about having a baby being my reality.

It won't be long until there's no way I can avoid believing that I'm really going to be a mom;  I’m at that awkward stage now where other people are probably wondering, “Is she pregnant, or is she just getting fat?”  I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be here yet if I hadn’t gained so much weight the past year, but since I’m here, I have to deal with it!  I spent most of the afternoon going through all the maternity clothes my sister gave me this spring.  I’m very surprised to find that most of the pants fit me now (though with plenty of stretch to allow me to grow and still wear them), but a lot of the shirts are still too big, or already too small (my boobs must be bigger than my sister’s were!)  I’m meeting friends for dinner tonight, and was planning on doing some clothes shopping before we meet up, but I think I’m going to go shoe shopping instead.  I’ve had enough of trying on clothes for one day.