When I opened up my blog to start writing a post about a project today, I realized it had been nearly a year since my last post. Whoops. Let’s catch up a little bit.

Hi, how are you? How has the last year been?

The last year has been probably the most life-changing one I’ve ever had. My last post was about planning our nursery, and now the nursery is complete and has a very cute occupant. I have plans to include that in an upcoming blog, but if you’re impatient and want to see the nursery now, you can see photos and videos on my Instagram.

Around February, the time of my last post, I was in the third trimester of my pregnancy, and I was exhausted. Physically, mentally, emotionally… I don’t think anything prepares you for how fully pregnancy takes over your life. Maybe it’s meant to be that way to prepare us for how a baby takes over even more. There were sweet moments, like Hank (our dog) getting extra snuggly with me, and becoming my little shadow. There were not-so-sweet moments, like the last month, when I needed six pillows to get comfortable enough to sleep, and still woke up with carpal tunnel pain or just the need to pee in the middle of the night. And then there were weird moments, like when one concerned stranger told me in the grocery store as I reached for something on the top shelf, “Please don’t raise your arms above your head, it’ll wrap the umbilical cord around your baby’s neck.” WHAT?

There’s nothing quite like being pregnant or having a baby out in public that seems to invite unwanted comments, advice, and touching. One small silver lining of the pandemic is that people seem to keep their physical distance a little bit more these days.

Towards the end of my pregnancy, I was so DONE. I was excited to meet my daughter, but maybe even more so I was excited to have my body to myself again. I tried everything to get labor started, and one Saturday evening in April, things really got moving. My labor was relatively quick for a first pregnancy, just under ten hours from start to finish, and my daughter was born on Easter Sunday, sweet and healthy with a head full of dark hair like her Daddy.

I was grateful that Jonny took a month off for paternity leave, and I took most of the summer off as well. In mid-August, I began working part time again, and eased back into full time work. I’m grateful to be self-employed, which gives me more flexibility to be able to spend time with my daughter. Our current routine works well for us: Jonny is on duty until he leaves for work in the morning, and then I work from home during her first nap. When she wakes up, we eat lunch together, and then her nanny comes for the afternoon so I can leave and continue working. I’m really loving this stage at ten months old, and trying to soak it all up.

If there’s one thing motherhood has already taught me, it’s how to be more present in the moment. Caring for a newborn will force you to slow down and be still, sometimes all day. It can feel unproductive, at least to me, so it’s been a good reminder to me that meeting her where she is is time well spent, even if there aren’t tangible results at the end of my day. That said, I’m very grateful for our nanny and getting a break to get time by myself to work, because I really do love working.

Speaking of work, that has shifted a bit as well. I’m still working primarily as a Realtor in residential real estate in the Greater Nashville Area, which I love. I’ve also added in more design work, and am now taking on client work outside of historic renovations. It’s been a lot of fun, and I’m excited to share those projects with you.

As far as projects go in the last year, the nursery was completed, and our carriage house is almost done. Ruby was completed and sold, and Bonnie is almost done and ready to hit the market. I’ve got a lot to share with you all, and I’m looking forward to doing it.

♥

Grace