A new hard drive

Funny, what makes me happy. My computer up and running this morning made Kiy a VERY happy gal. The swap-out, fighting with the new hard drive over the fact that we didn't want (the evil) Vista and finding my saved files on the dead hard drive took quite a few evenings and two full days of Jeff's time. Time he was supposed to be putting baby stuff together. So, while he was working on my computer, I put together (or attempted) baby goodies. Actually, I am pretty darned impressed with myself that I was able to put this stuff together, with NO cuss words. Women really should run the world (smile).

The exersaucer thing my mom got for Emi is now put together. Wow, that thing had a gazillion parts. It's really cool though, and we can put just a few toys on it right now (or rather, when Emi gets home and is interested in it) and add them as we go. She won't be overwhelmed, which is a good thing. Also, you can get more of the doo-dads and swap them out. Mom is already on the hunt for the cell phone. (BTW, if anyone has a lead on one, please let me know, she hasn't been able to find one yet, and I can't find one either. So much for, "and you can easily order more toys for this wonderful exersaucer!")

Also put together the stroller. I love and adore this stroller. It is everything I wanted, and more. It is a full size-stroller, which was very important to me (especially as we will most likely get an umbrella stroller in China, and I am not a huge fan of those to begin with). It isn't as light as I was hoping, but it isn't as heavy as some. It folds up very easily (and I practiced to make sure BEFORE we bought it) and I love the color. I know, that shouldn't be a big deal but some of the colors these things come in! This particular color, we were told, is only available on-line. We played with the orange (yes, orange) one in the store. I loved it, but I couldn't get past the color. So, home I ran to see if I could find the same thing in a color that wouldn't make my eyes bleed. It must just be me ... Jeff thought the orange was great (yeah, I don't get it either). This thing also had more parts than I imagined, and the directions ... let's say the directions-writing-person at Chicco should maybe look at the product he/she was writing about. But, I persevered and ... TA DA ... we have a stroller sitting in our family room. Waiting for a certain baby. I can't wait to use it. I hope November and December are as mild here as everyone says. I look forward to bundling her up and taking walks down by the gorgeous rivers here! (Miles and miles of very pretty walk-ways with river on one side and park on the other, with kid play areas scattered all over. Very cool.)

I also put together the changing table. Yes, the changing table I wasn't going to get. It ended up being harder than I thought to find a long dresser that I could put a changing pad on, that I liked and that I was willing to spend the money on. Not that I am cheap (well, okay, I am) but $800 for a dresser?! Pffft, so not happening. I loved the one that matches the crib, and the store where we bought the crib had the lowest price I could find in the area but it was still $544, plus delivery. Plus 8-12 weeks for it to arrive. We don't have 8-12 weeks! So, off to eBay I went. I found that I could get a tall dresser (four drawers) and a changing table for far less than anything local. That's including shipping. The changing table arrived and that was the next thing I put together. Because the printer is still not hooked up to the computer (Jeff still has some odds-n-ends to do on my computer) I grabbed the photos from the auctions for your viewing pleasure. :)

My current plan is to use it for a changing table now, and then once that part of our lives is over change it to a book/toy shelf using baskets. Considering what I paid for it, if it lasts through the changing table period of our lives, it will have served it's function. But, it is surprisingly sturdy and very pretty. It also matches the cherry wood on the crib almost exactly, and since it's on the other end of the room it isn't at all noticeable that it's not 'perfect'. I have to admit to being an eBay gal from waaaay back (actually, both Jeff and I eBay quite a bit), so I was surprised that I didn't think of this sooner. But I guess I was thinking the shipping charges would be huge. Once I factored in the higher cost of the item and the delivery of 'local' there wasn't that much difference.

Sadly, the dresser is still in pieces. That is one of the risks you take with eBay. Most of the sellers of this kind of thing are moving mass quantities and 'seconds' or overstock. Not sure exactly which category the dresser falls into, probably both. Seems that (so far) eight of the holes for the dresser were miss-drilled. Since I don't use the drill (I could, I just don't), I have left that project to Jeff. I did find all the parts, label them, put all the screws and tiny parts in their own (labeled) dishes, etc. so he is good to go. But it may be next weekend before he can get to it. If he does. Because we had a few problems with this item that I won't bore you with here, the seller refunded us half, including shipping (which never ever ever happens, I was floored!). But that is something you need to keep in mind when eBaying. Things don't always go smoothly, and you need to be able to work with your seller. Sure, if they are jerks you can blast them in the feedback area, but really, try to work it out before it gets to that. Both Jeff and I have run into great people there, and not-so-great, but it is fun. If done carefully. I read pages and pages of feedback, especially on this kind of thing. He had good feedback and I now see why. He is *determined* to make it right. My kind of seller. (Back to the 'if he puts it together' ... with what the seller credited us back, we can still do something else if Jeff can't get this together. We won't lose that much money, some, but not an outrageous amount. We shall see what happens when he starts working on it. Details to follow.)

I don't think I ever posted a picture of the crib. So I will wait to post that until I can download photos from my camera (using the mostly useless printer sitting on my desk - it has a handy card slot which is only handy when the printer is hooked up to my computer). When my mom was here we made up the crib with the VERY PRETTY crib set that she got for us and I love the way it looks with the cherry wood. So, that photo will be posted later.

The room is starting to come together. I still don't have window treatments up. Mainly as the blinds were never that great to start with so I tore them down for the painting dude. I need to decide on, purchase and install new ones. Guess I better get hopping on that. Then we can hang the valance that matches the crib set. Once that is done and the dresser is up we can hang all the stitching/art work stuff. That all may or may not happen before we leave for China. But I have let it go. I was starting to stress out about the fact that the nursery wasn't finished but really, what's important? She has a bed to sleep in, and safe, warm, loving arms to snuggle in. We have all that. There are two sets of arms SO ready to snuggle this little girl with, and love ... we have that in spades. The other stuff, just details. And when it comes right down to it, not very important ones. There are three pictures sitting on my desk of a tiny little girl half a world away. I talk to her, all the time, still only half believing she is ours and we are hers. I am going to enjoy every moment of this time getting ready for her and put aside the (self-made) stress and worry. Because, in the end, all I want is Emi in my arms.


P.S. Housekeeping: I didn't lose all my emails, but I have a sinking feeling that I am missing some. Please, if I owe you an email and you haven't heard back from me, resend it.