Obsessive-Compulsive Nesting Disorder

It seems you learn a lot about yourself after getting married. Some aspects of your personality that you never thought twice about when you were single, you come to realize are annoying to those who have to hang out with you all the time. I have always known that I wash my hands compulsively (I blame college microbiology for that), when things are out of place I get really unsettled and I can't stop reading a book until it's finished. But, after teaming up with Nick on household projects, I have also discovered that I reach such an obsessive state of focus on these tasks, that I am unable to do anything until it's completed (to include rest and obtaining nourishment). This tendency makes me rather difficult to be around while house projects are in the works...

Obviously given the growing parasite that resides in my belly, I am forced to eat and sleep, but you can imagine my "nesting" instinct might be a little more intense than most. My latest household obsession: Emmy's nursery. This past week, I have been shopping tirelessly (don't you love how I make shopping sound hard? :-P) to recreate the beautiful image in my head. My inspiration stemmed from a peachy-pink ruffled pillow from Pier One Imports. Once I exhausted all the stores in Clarksville (the shopping here is pitiful), I traveled to Franklin (where all the country music stars and Dave Ramsey live) and Nashville to search for antique, shabby chic accessories and for the perfect fabric with which to make Emmy's bedding (because after hours of scouring the internet, I was unsuccessful in finding anything I liked in the right shade of pink :-/).

So, last night I broke out my sewing machine and got to work on her crib skirt. At one point, Molly had made a futile attempt to encourage me to take a break--she pulled her food bowl next to my feet so that I couldn't move around the kitchen table without tripping over she and her kibbles. But, my OCD focus prevailed and I managed to continue work until well after midnight when I completed my last stitch! One project down, several more to go!

Nick's deployment couldn't have been timed better for him to avoid nesting at it's worst...He most likely would choose to spend time in a war zone than be exposed to the frenzy that is presently taking place in our home :-P. It is fitting that our first dance was to Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am," because, thankfully, he loves me despite my OCD tendencies :-).


Molly's creative ploy to distract me from my work. She's a clever one.


Sleeping on the job.


First attempt at sewing ruffles.


Finished product! Time for a snack and some sleep. :-P