The Nursery: Part 3

In case you missed it, this was the last nursery update...

We are finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel-with both the nursery and this pregnancy!  Both will be done within two weeks, if not sooner. :)

Last weekend we bought the foam for the crib.  It's a super firm foam which will support the boys very well.  We found a local old-school re-upholstery shop in town which cuts full slabs of foam to any size you want, which is rare.  When we walked in it was like we entered a time warp.  It was great fun to watch this little old man hobbling around the super cramped shop, pulling huge slabs of foam out of the woodwork.  Upon leaving, we both agreed that it's exactly the kind of place we love to support and that we'd be back for sure when it's time to replace the cushions on our own bed.

The foam guy in his cramped little shop, cutting a large piece of foam to our specs.

Brian's been working so hard every weekend and after work to put the finishing touches on the construction.  It's turning out to be a little more tedious of a job than we initially thought, mainly because of time, but also because of the shape of the back cabin.  Nothing is square and because we have to think about 20 little fingers getting stuck in crevasses, Brian is being extra careful that everything fits exactly the way it should.  It's been hard for me to sit (literally) and watch him do all of the work.  But I keep reminding myself that I'm actually growing two babies, and that's hard work in itself.  I guess this is a good example of teamwork, right?

Last night Brian was able to cut the foam and install it into the crib.  First he used the insulation as a template to mark where he should cut:

And then, using an electric turkey knife which was bought specifically for this purpose, he made the cuts:

Like butta.

 

Incidentally, as a chef, I feel the need to tell you that this is the only time an electric knife should ever be used.  :)

Once everything was cut, he put the mattress in the crib and made the bed:

We're starting to try to figure out exactly where we want to put everything.  Placement is very important because its such a small space.  We're being very selective about how we decorate, too, as not to overwhelm the boys with a million different colors and patterns.  The wall below will be painted or covered in a neutral color, probably cream to match the fiberglass walls.  The cushion below was bought at IKEA in the as-is section and will be recovered to match the cover we're making for the seat cushion (which is made out of the same foam as the mattress).

The main colors will be green, white and blue, with pops of other colors that can be found in the jungle.  I can't wait until construction is done so we can get it completely decorated and ready for Jack and Bobby!

Thanks for following along with our progress!

Preparing For Their Arrival: Organizing the "Stuff"

Before you say, "It only gets worse!" or, "You're going to need more of XYZ!", please hold your comments, and go back to read this post which begins by saying:

"...It requires us to think a lot about what we bring into our home, to shop for groceries more often, and to try to live a little more simply than we did when we had a huge two story apartment.

And we're OK with that.  In fact, we're more than OK with that-it's actually one of the philosophies behind why we want to continue living aboard and why we want to raise our twin sons on a boat.  We want them to appreciate the value of community, neighbors and friendship.  We want them to appreciate that you can, in fact, live with less, even though society tells us we need more, more more!" 

It's true that we have a lot more "stuff" now that the babies exist-it's two extra humans living in a small space.  But it's also true that we still have a lot less than the average family expecting twins, and we're pretty sure we'll survive.  We don't have a traditional crib, but what we will have is a kick ass custom cabin built by their daddy with a lot of love.  And they won't have a large playroom to run around in, but they'll have the entire ocean to explore, including islands to conquer (complete with pirate gear!), beaches to comb and interesting people to meet.  And in the summer, they'll know what it feels like to have the wind in their hair (oh, how we hope they have hair!) and they'll be surrounded by the splendor of the sunlight dancing like diamonds on the water.

They won't have the latest and the greatest <insert gadget/gear/toy here>.  But what they will have will be divine...

PSA over...now, onto the post. :)

Over the last couple of weekends we've really been trying to get everything ready for Jack and Bobby's arrival.  That means that everything we received from our multiple baby showers that once lived in storage, now lives at home.  And that means that we've been organizing like mad!

Here's what our car looked like when we left the storage unit:

Everything's boxed up in bulky packaging, crammed into bags or boxes.  I knew that once we got home and opened everything up, we'd be able to get a handle on it.

First things first, the car seats!  Those two boxes alone took up most of the back seat and LOADS of room in storage.  So, we installed them!

Somehow, even though I have this huge belly, we've felt them kick, seen their little hearts beating and have them named...THIS made it all seem very real.  We're actually going to have babies!  (It's even still currently hard to imagine, being that neither of us have ever had babies of our own.)


Once those two big boxes were broken down and thrown away, we were left with two carts of stuff that we brought back to the boat.  Most of which ended up in these two cabinets.  Yes really:

There are additional diapers stored under the crib/bed (and more will be opened and put in that bin above-I just didn't want to open too many in case the boys don't fit into these, or don't react well to this brand), a bag of toys that have a home on a shelf across the way (space is already set aside for that, I just have trouble making it over there, physically, right now due to my huge belly), and burp clothes and swaddlers that will also get a home on that shelf in a bin (so I can easily grab them when feeding).  But we managed to get everything in that big, crammed car, onto our 36 foot sailboat without making our space unlivable.

We kind of rock.

Stay tuned for more nursery pictures, coming soon!

The Nursery: Part 2

Brian's been working very hard these last couple of weeks (in between work and the holidays!) getting the nursery ready for Jack and Bobby.  It's definitely tedious work, mainly because nothing is square!  In fact, one of the walls is completely curved, making it especially difficult to get the measurements just right.  But he did it, and it looks amazing.

When we last left you, the cabin looked like this:

Brian had just finished insulating the storage area, and building the platform where the boys will actually sleep.  To the left, you can see the curved wall I spoke of earlier.

Take a look at all of the progress he's made over the last week:
 

Insulation was measured and cut for the curved wall, and the back and side walls were created.  In addition, you can see the template for the piece which will hold the gate in place, once the boys are older.  (The pink wedge on the left.)

 

All three walls in place!  Look at that curved wall!

 Early last year I bought a bunch of marine grade vinyl to line our bedroom walls.  However, I miscalculated when measuring, and didn't buy enough, so it just sat in our storage unit waiting for a purpose.  Enter the babies!  Brian expertly (seriously-he did such an amazing job-no bubbles, ripples, creases-nothing!) covered the walls with said vinyl to create a softer space, and to give their "room" some much needed color.  Take a look:

Amazing, right?

We're really excited about how it's coming out.  We purchased some vinyl decals for decoration, in addition to some very cute fabric which will eventually cover the custom mattress that'll sit upon that wooden platform.  It won't be a traditional nursery for sure, but it'll be theirs, and we hope they'll love it.

For those of you worried about how they'll sleep in a "V" shaped crib-don't worry.  Their Mommy and Daddy sleep in a "V" shaped bed and do just fine.  It'll be all they know, and to them, it'll be normal.  Brian did so much (so much) research about standard crib size, height, depth, mattress firmness, and so on, that we're not worried about their comfort or safety in the first couple of years.  Once they start growing, that's another story.  But isn't that true of all babies in all homes?  :)

Here's a preview of what's coming next-the mattress. And my favorite part-decorating!

Jungle themed sheets-to-be.

Thanks for reading!