Furniture makeover

So a couple of months ago, I scored a really great Bassett changing table by accident.  I was going to this house to pick up another sweet deal (via Craigslist) for a rocker and glider combo (which I'm still thrilled with).  On the porch was the changing table, which someone else was supposed to pick up that afternoon, but I told the owner that if they never showed to let me know.  Sure enough, it was still available the next day, so Danny and I rushed over to pick up yet another addition to our furniture collection for Addison.  It didn't match the crib, but I didn't care.

At least not at first.  Then it started to bug me... and a project was born!  After some research on refinishing furniture thanks to www.younghouselove.com, a borrowed sander, and some great help from Katherine one afternoon, I got it all sanded down and ready to finish.  Unfortunately I don't have a great before picture, but it looked exactly like this one:

And here it is in process and post-sanding:

I made good friends with the mask, and got to the staining process to try and match the crib.  

Coat 1 - still pretty rough... 

After 2 coats and the polyurethane! 

I'm quite happy with the color match!

And through the process, Aslan expressed how excited he is to be a big brother.  On the day Katherine came to help, he took it on himself to be Ellis's watchman. :)

Ellis is really cute.

This was not staged. I'm serious!

I promise she actually is happy here as Aslan is punching her. 

And as a post-script, yes I'm 40 (+4 days) weeks pregnant, and yes I am about to pop but still feel great.  Went for a run this morning and I'm still super energetic/hyperactive.  The challenge from my doctors and Danny is to make concerted efforts of relaxation in hopes THAT coaxes her out, since clearly everyone's favorite advice: "Go for a long walk" isn't working (I walk Aslan 3x a day, I've been running, and I've also mowed 2 lawns this week).  Induction date is not until Nov. 7, so let's hope she doesn't last that long and comes on her own long before that!