05/03/2007

I'm stumped. Nathan and Nia are going to need to share a bedroom for a while, and with the room's obviously nautical theme, I'm struggling to find ways to incorporate our little girl. I know a good solution will come to me, but I'm at the drawing-board stage just batting around thoughts. Yesterday, by the way (this is so off topic), I was holding Nathan and I tapped my belly and said, "Nia Madelynn is in there." Nathan closely examined my stomach. He rubbed his hands over it, poked it a few times, and remained generally puzzled as to why Mommy's stomach had been the focus of so much attention lately. Then I lightly knocked on my tummy and said, "Hi, Nia!" Nathan smiled broadly--as though he had suddenly figured it out--and, much to my dismay, slapped my stomach and shouted something akin to 'hi.' Oh dear. But, back to the conundrum of the bedroom. I've had several thoughts.

Nathan's room has a bit of a piratey-feel; Not in an overwhelming skull-and-crossbones with glittering gold coins way, but in a rustic boat with traveling chest sort of way. I was thinking of painting a sign on another scrap piece of boat (like I did with the rudder) to hang above Nia's crib that would say something like: "This pirate only steals hearts!" Then I could make a nautical-ish quilt that has sailboats with heart-printed fabric for sails. I made Nathan's quilt and bumper, so I figure I should do that for Nia, too. It makes it more personal and quite a bit less expensive than buying one from Babies 'R' Us.

OR...I could avoid the pirate theme altogether (they were, after all, abominable folks with irritating habits and the tendency to truly have an eye poked out or wooden leg). In this case, we could simply celebrate boats/sailing in general. If I go this route, I would probably paint something to say, "My brother is the sailor who will help guide my boat safely across the dangerous waters of life." I know my brother (who has probably never even been ON a sailboat) was that sort of sailor in my life. I think that along with a quilt of girly-colored sailboats, this could be quite charming.

I confess, those are my two options at this point. One is more sentimental, one is more fun. Goodness, which way to go. Maybe something else totally different will come to me. Daddy is happily referring to the belly as "Nia" and loves telling people the story behind the name. It is special, that is for sure. Nathan, our "gift from God", and Nia (whose name literally has no meaning) is our other "gift from God." Nia is kicking hard and trying to tell everyone 'hello.'