Project Paci: Done-zo... And a Backsplash Update!

Just a quick update today to say that we are pretty much done with Project Paci. The kid is amazing. Yesterday when I put him down for his nap (with his snipped paci), he handed it back to me. No kidding. I still don't think he LOVES the idea of being without it, but he still has his little Angel Dear monkeys to keep him company at night, so he's dealing. I remember after LO gave up her paci that she didn't sleep as long or hard as she did with the paci, but that doesn't appear to be the case with Chase (at least not yet). He is such a total Rock Star and I am completely in awe of him!

On a TOTALLY unrelated note... I took my kitchen measurements to the sales rep at the tile store where I had found the beautiful, gorgeous, backsplash-of-my-dreams so we could figure out exactly how much material we'll need and what the final cost would be. Keep in mind, I (for one reason or another) was estimating about 20 sq. ft. of wall that would require tile for our backsplash. For the record, I took all the measurements myself but didn't bother to do the math (length x height stuff from jr. high) because I don't do math. So imagine my surprise when the nice lady did the math for me, and it turned out to be 39 sq. ft.!!! Yes, folks, that's DOUBLE what I was expecting/budgeting. But it gets worse. The beautiful 8x24 porcelain tiles are just under $10 each. And the teeny, tiny, straw-sized 7"x1/8" quarter round bullnose edge pieces? Also $10 each. PLEASE tell me how that makes sense. And let's just top if off by saying the even teenier, tinier, like smaller-than-my-thumbnail cornice piece that finishes off the 90 degree angle? ALSO $10 BUCKS EACH.

As you can imagine, I left the tile store with one heck of a case of sticker shock! It's insane when you're expecting to pay a certain amount and it turns out to be almost FOUR TIMES AS MUCH!!!! For the love of all things holy, I don't know what I'm gonna do. We definitely didn't budget that much for durn backsplash tiles, and it kills me that the ONLY solution I've found that I truly love has turned out to be so expensive. Do you have any idea how long and how hard I've been searching for our backsplash? After the meeting with the tile rep, I came home and Googled the crap out of it all over again, as well as made a few phone calls to local retailers, only to find NOTHING even close to what I'd want. I felt such relief when I finally made the decision on the 8x24 tiles and now I'm back to square one! It's not fair!!!

My good friend told me that if it's what I really like, and there's nothing out there that even comes close to it, that I need to Just Do It. I mean, really, I'm gonna be spending a LOT LOT LOT of time in that kitchen, and if I end up with some cheap-y crap in there that I don't truly love, it's gonna kill me every time I walk in the room (figuratively, not literally of course). She is truly very wise.

Let's just look at it one more time. Just... so... beautiful...

Just for the record, I want to acknowledge that finding the right backsplash tile is NOT a huge deal, and that I'm VERY aware that there are much bigger, much more important things happening across the world and in the lives of people everywhere that ARE a big deal -- life and death kinds of things. I guess I wonder if sometimes my readers think I'm just a big complainer/whiner who doesn't recognize that I don't truly have "REAL" problems when it comes to choosing backsplashes or having orange kitchen floors. I know these little details are minor and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but, this is my blog -- my outlet -- and it's where I share my joys and triumphs, frustrations and disappointments, and everything in between. So with the house building stuff, I totally get that I might come across as "diva-y" or high-maintenance or obnoxious, and I'm truly sorry if any of you are thinking that when you read my blog. But this is OUR once-in-a-lifetime journey and I want to remember every detail along the way.

Thanks for understanding! :)