Our entire house is pretty much a big mess, but I don’t care. Let’s say that it is all sparkly clean and tidy before the baby arrives. Once he’s born, I’ll be in bed with him upstairs, while the kids make fresh messes downstairs. So really, we’re beyond the point where there is any reason to try to make everything perfect. Our bedroom on the other hand is almost totally ready. We’ve even pulled all the books down off of the shelves and dusted them. We cleaned out under the bed–just everything. We finally took the big plunge into official window coverings, trading in blankets hanging over windows at night for roller shades. I have no idea why we didn’t do that sooner. It’s made such a difference, being able to wake up in the morning and open the shades and let the light in. I ordered pretty baskets to store things in: important things like newborn diapers and skeins of yarn. There is a stack of books by the bed, so I’ll have plenty of reading material: The Dirty Life, Angle of Repose, The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl, The Yarn Whisperer, The Knitter’s Book of Socks, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Knitter’s Almanac.
The balloon baby pants and the blue gown are both finished. When the boys saw the finished gown, Gabe asked me, “Is that for Silas?” I guess it is a little big. I asked Keats to hold up the balloon pants so I could take a picture. He was preoccupied but still commented, “These are huge.” Maybe so. The green milo vest that I knit for Silas is also super big and will definitely fit him better next winter. I guess I’m just knitting everything on the big side lately. Thankfully, some people remember that newborn babies are actually small. Sweet Gretchen sent me that adorable pair of little striped baby booties.
The farmer’s market had a deal going on apples. I got an entire box full of Cameo’s for twenty dollars, which is a great deal. Cameos are my favorite. Stocking up, going big, that’s my theme here.
Last night was our first really cold night and today it’s still really chilly. Jonny, who might be having some sort of a hair crisis (first time with a beard and moustache of sorts and today he was wearing his wig, the one he’s had since high school,) set up our little lost swarm in the currently empty hen house. They can come and go as needed through the little chicken door. We do have the queen bee and since we didn’t want to squish her, we are going to try our best to help this weak little colony overwinter. The hen house itself is insulated, and Jonny insulated the hive as well and set it up so that we can feed them all winter. We have high hopes! Our other two colonies look good. It will be so exciting if we have bees make it through this winter!
So, I guess between having our bedroom and the bees all set, we’re ready to have a baby. Keats and Gabe have their last baseball tournament of the season this weekend. It’s local, and I’m sort of hoping to be able to go to at least one of the games. We’ll see.
Oh, and most importantly, yesterday Jonny and I celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of our running off to the mountains together to get married next to a waterfall in our sneakers when we were far too young and foolish to understand what we were getting into. To celebrate Jonny made cupcakes and bought me flowers. We just kept looking at each other all day and shaking our heads and smiling. No regrets of course, but we had no idea…oh my goodness, we’re about to have seven kids.
Anna says
Ginny, so glad to be moving my schedule around to catch up at Small things. Yes, I’ve done the math, we were both young and didn’t know what we were getting into. Ignorance is bliss isn’t it! I know you are like me and wouldn’t trade it for the world. By the time I was 25 I had three children and no longer able to have babies of my own. I adore my husband and we are looking forward to a beautiful forever together.
Carrie says
DARN! It’s a wig. I was loving the hair….lol.
Looks like you’re all ready. And calm and peaceful. Nothing like I was!
Cathy says
Here’s praying for you and your family for the safe arrival of your new little somebody! Your house looks homely and welcoming- lucky baby who comes there. Super wedding story- wish we had had the courage to do that- I wanted a picnic on the moors but parents said NO! 39 years and three children and three grand children later- we’re still here!
Sarah says
If I didn’t need to be quiet (sleeping children!), I’d just die laughing over the photos of Jonny. My first thought was, “Wow. What a funny-looking beekeeping buddy they have. Do they let him around their kids?” The wig just completely threw me off–I meant no offense. It just, well, is funny… him, in that wig. Ah, me. You guys seem really fun. And I love, love, love your sweet affection for God and how you work it into your family traditions and home life. So very winsome. Many blessings on your anniversary and the delivery of sweet no. 7. Clearly, you two make life good together. 🙂
oklady says
Lovely, lovely stories. Your pics are fun and beautiful.
Betsy M says
Ginny, I just love reading your posts. I am due to have my baby #5 in about a week so it is fun to see your preparations. Oh and Happy Belated Anniversary! What a beautiful family you two have — you say you didn’t know what you were getting into but I think God had a plan. 🙂
Laura says
Congrats Ginny!! Messy or not, I love to see pictures of your house, and your family too! They are real!!! I recognized your husband in the picture, and was stuck a few seconds puzzled at how fast his hair had grown since the last picture, until I came to my senses that it was too much hair and it was probably a wig!!
lori says
ah, i have so much emotion reading this post, and now i’m exhausted (haha) too. you are all so beautiful. happy birthing day mama, i’ll be thinking of you and sending you all my strenght and love!
A Little Blue Dragonfly says
Happy Anniversary to you and Jonny and your beautiful family!!! I can feel the anticipation in your photos…exciting baby days ahead! Your baskets are lovely, your baby knits are so sweet, and your home looks so warm and cozy and full of love. Prayers and love to you as you prepare for Baby! 🙂
Amy Caroline says
I have to laugh, what you were calling messy, and I was thinking how lovely! And I think you really ought to knit your poor husband a hat, if he is so cold he has to wear that wig… lol
Wanda says
It all looks wonderful Ginny! I can’t wait to meet the new little one! I am interested in the baskets you ordered. What size is the large one on the end?
Meryl says
Looks like your all cozy and ready to go! Congrats on your anniversary!
Joy says
Congratulations on the anniversary Ginny! And prayers for a quick delivery and a lovely lying-in time. I agree with you on the baskets completely. I finally ordered a big market basket for our library basket and wondered why I had waited so long to do so. They are so handy and beautiful in the bargain. 🙂
Lori Ann says
You are a beautiful knitter. Your home looks so warm, loved and yummy – just enjoy it. Enjoy the family – all of the cleaning and other will get done at some point! Just relax. Happy weekend!
harleygirl says
All those knit baby things are REALLY cute! I love baby things! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Happy anniversary! 15 years! wonderful! We pray for you and baby *every day* here and I keep you in my thoughts; you and two others I care about in the blog world are all due to have their next child in these next days and my heart is full just thinking of all of this beauty and wonder. Love pictures. Still praying for the bees too!! Wishing everything good and beautiful, including a healthy new baby for you and your family.
Anna says
Do you have an absolute favorite, not too difficult baby knit? My first niece or nephew will be arriving in March and I’m hoping to find some time to knit a gift or two this winter.
And congratulations on your anniversary! I’m running off to get married myself in two weeks… In a church and we’re not all that young, but that doesn’t mean we entirely know what we’re getting ourselves into :-).
Ginny says
probably a Milo vest! And, congratulations on your upcoming marriage!
Erin says
Happy Anniversary! You have more done than I ever have when a little one was coming. I finished weaving in the ends of a baby blanket the night before the last one came 😉
aimeed says
Oh, lovely lively busy houses. That’s how it is, isn’t it, after the first 2 or so are born!
I gotta tell you something though–The Worst Hard Times is an excellent book, truly. But it’s pretty intense and heart rending for postpartum. Just felt I should mention it.
Happy anniversary to you both, and happy baby days to you all!
Ginny says
Thanks for mentioning that! If I am having a super weepy time, I’ll save that one for later!
Lisa Eggers says
Ginny, this post is a treasure! I’m eyeing so many little things I have to make note of. I love those wall hanging magazine & book racks (did you guys make them yourselves?), and I need to get a copy of Global Babies for my little babe! I wish you would take a snap of all your books on all of the shelves so I could just read the spines and see what you’ve got, I’m so nosy when it comes to other people’s books! I’m loving these last posts before the baby comes. There’s such anticipation in them and it’s bringing me right back to where I was last year. I had a little Halloween baby 🙂 I can’t wait to hear the name you choose, you’re the best at naming a babe! Happy Anniversary as well! xoxo
Ginny says
I’m super nosy about other people’s books too! And, naming this baby hasn’t been easy. We still aren’t 100% on a name!
Amy says
Happy Anniversary! Beautiful new baby handknits.
Mary says
So so close!! For a second I thought that really was Johnny’s hair and was jealous of how fast he can grow it!
Ginny says
Oh no, he’s pretty much bald on top now–I’m not sure that he’s accepted that yet.
karen says
happy anniversary!!! We are married 26 years and it seems like yesterday we said “i do”. Married life is wonderful with the twists and turns and happenings, I wouldn’t trade it for the world 🙂
May you continue to be blessed with many more happy married years to come. (good luck with the baby!)
Stephinie {gypsyforest} says
You guys got married the same year we did 😉 Life is such a ride, isn’t it?
I kept looking at the picture of Johnny wondering if he had a brother visiting…. it really threw me. I laughed out loud when I got to the wig part. So funny!
I know the urgency to get things settled and right before the little one comes…… but as soon as they arrive you forget what the fuss of clean is about because you’re too busy falling in love for the umpteenth time. And aren’t you always amazed how suddenly this person who is brand new seems like they were just what you were waiting for and always there all at the same time? That sounds silly, but I’m sure you know what I mean.
Many blessings friend…..
xo~
W-S Wanderings says
I love this post. It resonates with me just so. You bring back memories of my bedroom (certainly not whole house) preparations while awaiting the arrival of my littlest. And the wedding anniversary shared smiling and head shaking? – my husband and I do the very same thing. We had no idea. And wow, is it ever amazing!
Happy anniversary!
Blessings…
Olivia says
Sounds perfect in that “nothing is ever perfect but at the same time it is” kind of way. Good luck!
Trista says
It’s always so fun to read your blog postings and see the fun pictures! Everything looks great and I love your stashes of books and yarns for your lie-in. Congrats on a most auspicious time of celebrations and new beginnings. Love and Blessing to All!
Kathy says
Wow! Congratulations on 15 years and soon to be seven babies. Much love to you all at this time of change.
Tricia says
My number seven is a year old now and almost daily, I think to myself or say to my husband, “we have seven kids!” It’s a crazy, wonderful thing!
Leigh says
Love Jonny’s wooly wig. Suits him. Congratulations on the anniversary – so special.
Kate says
Ahhh, Wohlfahrt!
We celebrated our 25th anniversary last year, six years after I had #7. We married soon after college, which I didn’t think was young at the time, but when we look at our oldest son, my husband says, “Wow! Just think, I was married and a dad at his age!” Happy Anniversary and God grant you many more happy, adventurous years together.
What happened to Baby Silas?
Ginny says
Silas tells me that he is “Baby Big Boy” now 🙂
Ngo Family Farm says
You are blessed! We celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary today (and, on the other end of the spectrum as you – waited far too long!) Happy Anniversary and wishing you a most happy delivery when the time comes.
-Jaime
Summer says
oh I just love everything about this post! Happy days for you and your family!
Missy says
Lovely room, full of warmth and life. I recognized the bassinet – we have one just like and love it. It felt like I hit the jackpot to find something made of wood. Seven lovely little ones! How exciting. I have two and in my mind I know that is enough, but my heart just won’t let me give those baby clothes away…
Ginny says
I couldn’t believe it when I found a pretty wooden bassinet that actually folds up (and when my dad agreed to buy it for us despite the high price!) We needed something like that because we are squeezing it in on top of a King sized bed, and Silas’ crib!
Missy says
Word of warning – be very careful when you wash the cotton parts to the cariboo bassinet. I started out with the natural fabric, which shrunk and would not stretch back out. They then sent me the white fabric. That does shrink, but can be stretched back to original size while wet. Hand wash/just soak everything and then let it air dry. The white sheets do not shrink, so no need to worry about those. Did you get the hard board for the bottom of the bassinet? I noticed it wasn’t in it. After my first baby I washed the bassinet and it shrunk and the board wouldn’t fit, so I rewet it and stretched it and then the board fit again.
Tanya says
Just found your blog last week and have been loving it…such a beautiful blog.
I really enjoy it…
Don’t you love the anticipation of a new baby? Oh…I just had another one 6 months ago…seems like yesterday she was 2 weeks old and now she’s sitting up. I certainly don’t have to tell you it goes by fast as I’m sure you know…enjoy these last moments….
Wishing you an uncomplicated, peaceful birth.
kimberlee says
Happy Anniversary, you two! (nine!) Your bedroom and all of your handknits look so very beautiful! And I really love the shots of the piano! Regarding the one where you can see the laundry rack – my daughter remarked that it looked ‘so quaint’, likely because it’s so homey as we have the same sort of ‘decor’ (and no drier). And are you ready for a good laugh? I scrolled quickly past the friendly guy working in the shed thinking they must have got some friend or a local bee guy to come and help them with stuff. I thought he looked like a rather funky sort of friend with the beard and what I thought were dreadlocks! Not until I read the post did I go back and see it is indeed your now hirsuit dear husband! Silly me.
Cari says
Congratulations on your anniversary!!! Vance & I just celebrated 20 years, we still look at each other, laugh, & wonder what the heck we were thinking!!!
SaraO says
You wrote that so well. You captured a sweetness between your husband and yourself, and I love that. I can relate to it, and it is so nice to hear someone else put it into writing. I read your blog daily and enjoy it so much. I actually check it lately, and when you haven’t posted anything new yet, I think, “Has she had the baby?”
I’m happy for your family.
Denise says
Sounds like you are more than ready for baby! I loved “The Dirty Life” , one of my favourite books. I am relieved to hear that that is a wig…not Johnny’s hair..scary.
kris says
I love the peacefulness after preparation – how lovely everything looks. And your room does looks lovely. Seeing your piano made me wonder – do you ever consider getting an electric piano? We have a big old upright that I purchased for my husband as a wedding gift. The thing is that noise is a major stressor for me and it seems like the kids would play way more if they could plug in headphones and not have to worry about all the other noise or me telling them to stop (this is more directed at the younger ones who tend to mash all the keys!)…
Happy anniversary and blessings for your birth!
kimberlee says
Actually it is much preferred that a child learn to play on a real piano; I know a piano teacher who will not teach a student unless they have access to one for daily practice. With a keyboard there is no way to control the sound or tone produced, and a student needs a real piano to learn to make beautiful music. (even if that ‘learning’ sometimes drives mama mad!) 🙂
kris says
Thanks Kimberlee – great points! I have been fighting against the idea of electric for so long because it seems, well, fake. I’m glad you wrote, because I wouldn’t have thought of things like control of sound and tone. I guess I can skip the keyboard and buy a pair of ear plugs ; )
Ginny says
I would just chime in that eventually listening to the children practice is really lovely! My older boys can actually play real music and it is one of my favorite things to listen to them. Larkspur just started playing, and the little ones aren’t interested in it enough to want to pound on it (often) because it’s always been here. And yes, my friend Eve who teaches them wouldn’t allow for an electric piano for just the reasons that Kimberlee mentioned. I do understand though, being stressed by noise!! It’s awfully noisy at my house!
kris says
Thanks for the encouragement! Our 13 year old was taking lessons and his playing was indeed nice to listen to. He decided to stop, at least for a while, and he’s focusing on trumpet, which is also nice to listen to now that he’s been playing for a while. He was working on an Adele song the other day : )
I’m sure you are more immersed in noise than I am! We have four over here, three homeschooling. Your hands are a bit more full and I truly admire your approach to parenting and daily living!
Susan says
sweet family – happy anniversary! Blessings on #7!
Leslie says
I keep thinking that your new baby is so far away, but any day could be the day! Good luck and happy anniversary!
Lisa G. says
God bless you and your family on your anniversary! Wonderful!
Rachel says
I did that with numbers 7 and 8 (my only home births), cleaned just our bedroom and bath. I tried for weeks to get the rest of the house ready, but eventually accepted defeat. My husband stepped up, while I rested and had our house at least in sort of shape when I emerged from our bed a week later. Such strong men they can be when we let them. Congrats on the anniversary!
Sending peaceful, lovely birthing vibes.
tara says
So so so sweet! Happy anniversary! That’s amazing. I laughed out loud at Johnny’s wig! Is he going as a porn star or a cop for Halloween 😉 Kidding!
So excited to meet the new baby, and seeing all those cute little baby clothes makes me want a baby!
Also, how pretty is Silas’ hair?!? Maybe Johnny was just jealous haha.
Brooke says
Perfection! Happy birthy vibes to you and enjoy the bliss!
Mary says
Ginny,
Wishing you a short uncomplicated labor and one very healthy baby. What a wonderful anniversary gift!
Blessings and Grace…