Construction, Carpet, Completion!

I've seen some people's nurseries at their 7th month. Usually the moms-to-be are freaking out about getting the crib set up, and all the matching pictures on the wall for baby (who of course really couldn't care less). My first nursery--for my son--was painted sometime after the seventh month, thanks to a couple of friends who sent their spouses to help mine. My second pregnancy we had no nursery. All my daughter got was a crib in the corner of our loft bedroom. This time around, finding some space to bring home baby to has been an adventure in frustration.

Our home has three bedrooms--sort of. It has two bedrooms which are useable. The third had a ceiling which was falling in, old carpeting that stunk, drywall with large holes, a closet with about 6 layers of peeling wallpaper, and a weak subfloor that smelled of cat urine. For the past year and a half, it has been in various stages of repair.

In the meantime, my husband and I have been living little-house-on-the-prairie style with our two youngest children. Space in an otherwise spacious master bedroom has been at a premium, what with our bed, a twin and a toddler bed, 3 dressers, a bookshelf and a pack-n-play. I've been desperate to get this next bedroom done and move them out before our baby is born.

Finally, finally, the project is nearing completion. The last couple of months have been spent trying to find a way to squeeze 20 yards of carpeting out of our impossibly tight budget. It just hasn't happened. That is, it hadn't happened until my honey--my hero!--sold some parts off our old minivan. Bam! Cash for carpet! I about cried when he called me at work and told me the good news.

Last night was spent in a marathon of preparation. He hung a new door, put up some of the trim, pulled the remaining staples out of the floor, bleached the subfloor of the cat pee, scrubbed up the sixty layers of dust, and dragged the huge roll of carpet upstairs to lay it in the room. Tonight the carpet guy will come with the padding and he and hubby will actually lay the carpet. By Sunday, allowing for the finishing trim to go in after the carpet is laid, I will be moving my youngest kids into their nursery!!

It is to be a nursery in the traditional British sense, meaning that all three of the little ones will share. At this point, only our oldest will have her own room. My husband has grand plans to build another bedroom in our basement. He intends to move the oldest down there, the youngest daughter into the small bedroom, and leave the other two in the "boys' room." Ah, dreams! Right now I'm just thrilled that the final steps to reclaim my space from little kids are being taken in time to get a short break before baby moves in. The rest of our plans can be a project for the next year and a half!