And now we nest.

I never understood the word "nesting." You know, people throw it around all the time like everyone should know what it means. Nesting blocks, nesting mothers. I never understood. Now, I understand.

For the past three weeks, Liz and I have been nesting like fools (not quite like the insane birds in our tree outside our window, but pretty close. Not as loudly or as early in the morning.). This nesting has included:

• Two trips to IKEA
• Two Craigslist purchases
• One trip to Loews
• One overflowing garbage can
• One trip to the reupholsterer
• Three bags full of clothes to donate to goodwill
• Several nervous breakdowns
• Countless hours spend internet searching

The exciting part is that the fruits of our labor are beginning to show. Oh, yeah, that Smalls fruit is starting to show, too, but I was talking about the nursery.

Since we decided that we would stick with the bright green (Shrek green) that Dana so lovingly painted about 3 years ago. I mean, the guy basically used a watercolor brush to get that paint as perfect as possible. (Sometimes I worry that it may have some impacts on his sight later in life - I mean, the color is really bright - and I wouldn't want to take that for granted.) We just wanted to add black and white and have a color instead of a theme baby room. Like, it's not animals, robots, trains...it's green, black and white.

So, this weekend was the first time that we started to assemble things in the nursery instead of just dumping things up there like some sort of baby fairy is going to clean it up. And man, I am EXCITED about the progress we made. The beginning started a little rough. The IKEA directions showed the picture of a man with a rumpled mouth because he had questions about what's in the box. But we weren't scared, because we are true experts at putting together furniture. It all started back in '04 with putting together the sideboard with Erin.

Soon, though we were into it. Railings were already in place, and all we really needed to do was slap the pieces together. No need for rumpled face after all!

All of the animals helped us put together the crib...especially Sully. Now, he thinks it is his bed for sure.

With the crib finished, the room is actually starting to look like a real nursery! We think that our $99 crib from IKEA (of course, approved by Consumer Reports...I told you, countless hours doing research) looks pretty good! Next stop, ohdeehoh!

The first of Liz's crib sheets she is making is finished. We've bought several black, white, and green fabrics and found a great pattern to make crib sheets. The first one is hippo fabric from IKEA...I think that she did a fabulous job.

And then is our first Craigslist find, a black and white table for next to the glider (which we dropped off at the reupholsterer on Friday). I think that it is adorable and I love the $6 Ikea Light on top of it! Smalls and I are going to have some great times next to that table. Late, great times.

Before we collapsed, we put some of Smalls' stuff up on the shelves. Can you believe how many books Smalls has already? I know, you can hardly tell that one of Smalls' moms is a teacher.

More pictures to come soon, in the next episode of As the Mommies Nest.