First, a HUGE thank you to everyone that is supporting me in Project Stay Happy! The donations just keep coming in. 

I am SO excited! 

If you haven’t had a chance to share Wednesdays post on your FB page yet, please do. It is working!

Next…once I get something in my head I just can’t shake it.

I swear a good portion of my dreams lately are consumed with blue sofas. Strange really, but I just can’t help it. To make things worse, I ran across these blue tufted settees. Do you think it is fate? I do.

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Unfortunately the Dr. isn’t making the big bucks yet, and the savings account labeled “blue tufted settee” is completely empty. What?!

But maybe I can swing this $169.00 ottoman from World Market?

It might just satisfy my need for now.

Please tell me I am not that only one that obsesses over furniture?

It’s totally normal right?

I am going a little off topic today to write about something I am passionate about: high risk pregnancies.

Whoa, total 180 right? I’ve been wanting to write about this topic for a while but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. With it being one year since I was admitted to the hospital for bed rest (how did that go so fast?!), I have no choice but to write.

If you are new to this blog, let me fill you in. 

Having babies did NOT come naturally for me.

My healthy, beautiful, and spunky 5 year old Emory had a rough start. She was born at 24 weeks and 5 days via c-section, weighing 1 pound 9 ounces. She lived in the hospital for the first 96 days of her life, and remained on oxygen at home until she was 8 months old. 

My busy, sweet, and feisty 7 month old Theo threatened to come at 24 weeks. I was immediately admitted to the hospital and remained there, on bed rest, for 10 weeks. He was born at 35 weeks and 5 days via c-section, weighing 5 pounds 12 ounces. He came home with us right away.

During my 10 weeks of bed rest I had LOTS of time to think. I would wonder what it would be like to have a normal pregnancy. I often asked myself questions like:

To be honest, I always felt awful after letting my mind explore these questions. Silly really, but there is just something about being a woman that makes you feel like you should be able to have babies easily.  I mean, isn’t it my right? How often do you hear someone talk about how natural it is? Or how a woman’s body just knows what to do? Apparently my body didn’t get the memo, it is naturally done with pregnancy at 24 weeks. On the dot.

I also can’t count the number of my friends who suffer from infertility. From not being able to get pregnant, to miscarriages, to endless complications…no matter what it is, this pregnancy stuff is hard.

My 10 weeks in the hospital opened my eyes to the reality of pregnancy for so many women. A sweet friend down the hall lost a twin girl to a cord prolapse, my neighbor’s water broke and she was carrying without fluid, the woman two doors down had her placenta attached to her uterus requiring a hysterectomy, a woman across the hall twin “baby A” was growing at a much faster rate than “baby B,” and in the corner room was an amazing mom struggling to carry her baby to full term during her final days fighting cancer.

I have never been so humbled. 

Several of these women quickly became my good friends. We chatted for hours sitting in wheelchairs in the hospital lobby, playing board games, ordering in take-out together, and supporting each other. 

There are so many amazing women stuck in hospital antepartum units around the world, counting each pregnant day a success. As a former graduate, I know what that is like.

On day 36 of my hospital stay I had a former bed rest graduate visit me. She gave me a bag full of goodies. She didn’t know me, but she cared enough to bring me something to cheer me up. I have never  been so touched. That day I promised that I would give back to my antepartum unit, wherever it may be, once I delivered and recovered.

Now is that moment, and I can’t wait to get started! With the holiday season around the corner I am excited to create some amazing gift packages for women I have never met, but who are on bed rest. Although I can’t make their pregnancies normal or easier, hopefully I can help make their stay a little more tolerable, maybe even a tad bit enjoyable. I’m calling it Project Stay Happy: Pay it Forward.

This is where you come in. 

I am accepting donations to make “Project Stay Happy” packages that will be to be delivered to pregnant woman in hospitals on bed rest. 

If you have an ETSY shop, a creative skill, or just want to donate, please leave a comment or email me! I’m thinking baby leggings, mobiles, hats, homemade stuffed dolls/animals, prints for the nursery, art, pillow cases, jewelry for mom, hair bows, turbans, baby wraps, stationary, gift wrapping, etc. You know… the fun stuff!

Even if you can’t donate, please feel free to share Project Stay Happy! 

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, email your Grandma who knits (ok, maybe call her)… I’d love to make this project a success!

I am a big believer that helping these women keep positive attitudes will ultimately help them successfully complete their bed rest, a great cause in my opinion!

So who is ready to pay it forward?

Ikea’s new pieces in their Stockholm collection are awesome!

I am pretty sure I will be specifying them over and over again.

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I am particularly fond of the yellow pieces.

No matter what I do, I can’t escape my love for yellow.

I am super bummed that Boise does NOT have an Ikea. I crave walking around and checking out the new products. 

So go check these out for me and report back, would ya?

Thank you Ikea.

You never disappoint!

Whether or not I am in the market for new furniture for my home, I am always crushing on something.

Lately there is one design trend that I can’t get out of my head…blue sofas.

In my opinion, the style of a sofa sets the tone for the room. It typically is the largest piece of furniture in a space and naturally draws attention.

Although most people typically go with standard neutral colors (white, beige, brown, grey) when selecting a sofa, I can’t help be drawn to sofas with a little more color, especially blue.

Emily Henderson used this insanely gourgeous blue tufted sofa in one of her designs.

I am obsessed.

Jenny from The Little Green Notebook reupholstered her vintage sofa in this beautiful blue fabric.

And we can’t forget about Bri Emery’s living room designed by Emily Henderson.

This living room from Lonny is still a favorite of mine.

Of course it has a yummy blue sofa!

And I think this aqua sectional is just plain fun.  

Have I convinced you yet?

If so, here are a few blue sofas that I have my eye on…

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So what do you think?

Could you see yourself jumping on this trend?