This Last Weekend

Kate and I had a busy day on Saturday, starting with driving down to Kent to buy a dresser from a lady that I found through Craigslist, and then going to Ikea to settle my nesting crazies.

I was looking for a 6-drawer dresser (3 drawers down x 2 across) to use for both Kate and Oliver. Their bedroom is going to be cramped with a baby and toddler stuff so we are having to get creative with storage. I knew that there was no way we were going to get two dressers and a changing table in a room that already has a toddler bed, crib, wagon, art easel and stuffed animals. So I decided that I was going to get a 6 drawer dresser and use it for both Kate and Oliver as well as a changing table.

The first dresser I found on Craigslist seemed perfect. I was kind of nervous because if this thing went through this would be my first CL purchase. Especially for a pregnant chick and her child with no real protection if anything happened. It just so happened that when I go to this house the lady was really cool and her husband actually put the dresser in the back of my car for me. The dresser was perfect - in color and size. When we got it into the room last night it couldn't have been better.

I was so excited about the dresser that I really wanted to buy more items - which I knew wouldn't happen with my lack of money - but that wouldn't deter my nesting crazies and Kate and I decided to brave the long lines and massive crowds of Ikea.

Things started out ok when we found a parking spot right across the parking lot from the front door - I couldn't believe our good luck! There were people parking around the corner in the employee area as well as across the street in other company's parking lots. I had good feelings about this trip.

Good feelings gone the instant we get inside.

The first thing we see is the kiddie play area with the long line out front of people wanting to hand off their kids. I looked that that line longingly counting down the days until Kate could go in there. Kate was looking longingly as well - she threw a fit when she couldn't go in. Poor baby has to be potty trained and 3 years old. She's got the hard part down, it's only the waiting part now until Kate's three. Only a few more weeks. So Kate decided that she wanted to "show me something" every time we walked past a piece of furniture. We didn't get out of the first living room showcase for 10 minutes! This wasn't going to be easy getting through the whole store. I had to threaten her with a spanking a couple different times in the first 30 minutes alone and we weren't even out of the couch section yet.

Things were looking better when we got to the bed section, Kate decided it was nap time and wanted to climb into every bed that had covers on it. I finally let her lie down in one bed near the frame I want to buy for her and people were walking by laughing at her and commenting at how cute she was. I had to snap a pic of her in the bed, she looked incredibly comfortable and tiny in the giant bed.

Kate's actions continues in this "happy mode" through the toy section and after we left that area she started back up with the "I want to show you something" line. I was done by this point and was relieved when we got to the middle of the store around the back side of the play area. I decided that enough was enough and we were done with all things Ikea. I had to drag Kate away from the play area again, which was worse than the first time, back to the car (which, thank goodness, was right across the way from the front steps). Kate didn't stop crying until after we got home and I put her to bed - she needed a nap but I didn't put her down any later than usual. FINALLY I got to enjoy some peace and quite for the next couple of hours and then Kate woke up as happy as a clown.

Ahh, the joys of being a parent.