Reno Update...

Yes, there is a slight update on the reno progress:)  This week we managed to get some of the side panels up to see what they looked like which was great!  Everything is starting to fall together. 

The biggest accomplishment this week was finally purchasing the dishwasher!  We figured we'd wait for the black friday sales to see if we could score a great deal.  Well, we got a deal but not one of black friday caliber - oh well.  None the less we're happy with our new dishwashwer which should be here no later than Dec 5 (but i'm hoping and praying that it arrives sooner!)

Isn't she pretty:)  She's a Bosch 24 in built in beauty with hidden controls to keep little fingers from getting into trouble!

We also purchased our faucet - the Delta Leland series with a pull out head and the magnetic latch to keep it in.  We're super excited!  Now we just need to get the last panels in and we're ready for granite on Friday!

Here's the list - not a ton of progress but  some....

The list:

- new cabinets need installed (70%)
- install temp sink and plumbing
- install door fronts, hardware, drawers (50%)
- install plinth and filler wood
- remove and purchase new dishwasher
- new countertop needs ordered (and then installed)
- permanent plumbing needs installed
- new backsplash needs installed
- whole kitchen needs painted
- install new light switch for under cabinet lighting - run the line too 

- install under cabinet lighting

- finish the electrical for the heated floors

- scrub every surface in the rest of the house and clear it of dust

They say the darndest things..

We had the pleasure of spending the last few days with our nephews K and B who are 4 and 2.5 respectively.  They are quite the handful and we're definitely in for something with our little man once he gets older but oh wow - these guys are amazing!:)  Not only are they hilarious and full of life and energy - they say the most histerical things!  Just a sampling of the last 2 hours with them (mostly said by little K since I'm still learning to decipher little B's ramblings)

"I'm in chip heaven" said by little K as he consumes his 10th handful of tortilla chips

"You're my butt microphone Macie!" said by little K as he whips our poor Vizsla around by the tail singing "oh yea baby - my heart starts pumping".  Oh Macie has no idea what she's in for!

"I told you I was the fastest boy around" to DH during our after Turkey Day walk after trying to out run him and the dog.

There are so many more and I have to keep writing them down because it's moments like this that will get us thru the screaming, sleepless nights, and stress of our little mans early years.

Pregnancy Brain...

Call it stress, call it hormones, whatever it is - pregnancy brain is finally setting in!

Case in point, I always forget to put the top down on the washer so the clothes never actually get washed.  I'll come down to check on it and find that things are still sitting there soaking. Oh well, that's been happening for a while now.  Well today it went to a whole new level - not only did I forget to put the top down but i forgot to put in detergent and turn the stinkin thing on!  I'm sitting here happily typing away thinking my clothes are getting washed when in fact they are sitting in a dry wash tub with no soap....oh boy.  Time to start leaving post it's around to remind myself (a habit that I've always had).

Stock tip to anyone that reads this - buy stock in 3M because I'm about to go buy out all the stores in the area of their post-its.

A little bit of growth...

So...um yea.. there's been a bit of growth:) The progression below is 14,20,and 26 weeks respectively. Not a huge change between 14 and 20 - mostly bloat changes but 20 to 26 - whoa!

26 Weeks....

How far along are you? 26 Weeks

Total Weight gain/loss? um...turkey day is this week, can we just pretend to ignore the scale?

Stretch marks? Nope:)

Baby Movement? he goes thru spurts. There'll be a day or two when I don't feel him much followed by a few days of gangbuster movements!

Best moment this week? DH finally felt the little man!  We were laying in bed after I got home and Hans (the babe) was kicking furiously so I pulled DH's hand over to the belly and he finally got to feel it!  He was funny.  He was like "if I can feel this, then you really must feel like he's punching his way out!" - yes dear, that's about how it feels sometimes.  

Food Cravings? Nothing really substantial lately.  I have yet to have the overwhelming feeling that I just must have something....i was always craving prone to begin with.


Belly button in or out? Still in but barely

Milestones? Well, this happened a few weeks ago but I finally had to take off my wedding band and e-ring.  They were starting to get really tight and I didn't want to take a chance of them getting started.  The baby bedding arrived this week too!
 
Weekly Wisdom?   Don't over do it.  I used to know what my body could handle activity wise but I'm finding myself getting really run down and tired to the point where I'm starting to get sick. I need to remember that I am carrying a child and not my normal go-go-go self. 




I'm looking progressively tired in this pics - time to figure out how to get more sleep!:)

Reno Progress...

So get out the popcorn!  Here comes another thrilling installation of renovation nation...

We made great progress!  We spent yesterday picking out and then ordering granite (among other things house but non kitchen related).  We picked something called Labrador Black which is a pretty consistent black granite with warm amber undertones (as warm as you can make black I supposed).  They did the digital template that evening and we expect sign off tomorrow on the design so that we can have it installed Dec 4!!

Today we went to two - yes, TWO - Ikeas in order to find everything we needed.  As it turned out, our normal Ikea was rearranging their warehouse and it went on 4 days longer than it was supposed to (or than what they had on their website) and we couldn't get what we needed from them.  So, since we have to have it prior to the granite going in, that meant we had to drive to the other Ikea - 40 min away - to get what we needed. We're fortunate to live smack in middle of two Ikeas (read: equa-distant) but going from one to the other is a bit of a haul.  We did get to see the monuments downtown on our trip though - haha.

Another pre-requ of the granite install is to have the dishwasher purchased and installed prior.  Since DH has a volleyball game tomorrow and we're leaving for the family on wed, we have Tuesday to find, purchase, and arrange install prior to the Dec 4 granite guys!

Ah....we're soooooo close to having a fully working kitchen again!  We still have a ways to go even after the countertops go in but we'll have counterspace and a brand new sink/faucet!

No pictures this time as there's not a ton of change (the cabinets have fronts but..)

The list:
- new cabinets need installed (70%)
- install temp sink and plumbing
- install door fronts, hardware, drawers (50%)
- install plinth and filler wood
- remove and purchase new dishwasher
- new countertop needs ordered (and then installed)
- permanent plumbing needs installed
- new backsplash needs installed
- whole kitchen needs painted
- install new light switch for under cabinet lighting - run the line too 

- install under cabinet lighting

- finish the electrical for the heated floors

- scrub every surface in the rest of the house and clear it of dust

25 weeks...

I'm finally done traveling I think so that's a great thing! Traveling while pregnant is a challenge.  It's not so much the getting around part because walking/flying/etc are no problem.  Its the eating situation.  It's just so hard to eat well while away from home when your only option is to eat out.  I tried really hard to eat fruit etc for breakfast but lunch and dinner were always out somewhere and I always paid for it later - Rolaids Soft Chews are my newest best friend!

How far along are you? 25 Weeks (and a few days - thank you work travel!)

Total Weight gain/loss? pretending not to notice...

Stretch marks? Nope:)

Baby Movement? Kunfu fighter for sure

Best moment this week? Chivalry is not dead! Maybe not a "best moment" but definitely a sweet surprise.  I was using mass transit while I was in San Fran and had more than one occasion where a gentleman gave up his seat on the crowded bus or train to allow front heavy me to have a seat.  

Food Cravings? Still have an apple/apple juice thing going on (which is good because apple juice is not as acidic as OJ which causes all sorts of pain!)

Belly button in or out? Still in but stretching

Milestones? Well, we're past viability and the babe is about 1.5 lbs now!  He looks like a little doll (or so the books say)
 
Weekly Wisdom?   Get your fiber! haha...and water for sure!  The body functions much better when you get plenty of both!

Excuse how exhausted I look.  It was my first day in SFO and I was spent!

Woodland Creatures...

Welcome the new additions to the yet-to-be-started nursery!  I found them at Target today and they'll be perfect in the little man's room as decoration (up high on a shelf so he can't get them when he gets bigger!).  They match the bedding I picked out last week and are just too adorable to pass up.

Weekend Update...

So this weekend we had friends in town and didn't make much progress but there was some:)  This past week we finally got a sink in with real drainage so we can stop using the downstairs powder room.  We also got the rest of the bottoms and the last top cabinet in.  Lastly I started installing the fronts to what cabinets I could.  It's finally starting to shape up like a kitchen! 

This week is a business trip for me again but I'm leaving instructions:)  We should try to get the electrical done, or at least to a point where we can cap what's live and turn the power back on so I can use my oven again!

This coming weekend we'll hunt for granite, a dishwasher and a microwave.  Hopefully we can schedule the template guy to come prior to turkey day which means we'll have a countertop by the first or second week of dec (which means we'll have a fully functioning kitchen again!).

Once we get the counter top in, we can divide our time between the nursery and the kitchen.  It's about time!  The crib is here and hanging out in my office until we get the other room emptied (thank Ryan for helping to carry it up the stairs!)

The list:
- new cabinets need installed (70%)
- install temp sink and plumbing
- install door fronts, hardware, drawers (50%)
- install plinth and filler wood
- remove and purchase new dishwasher
- new countertop needs ordered (and then installed)
- permanent plumbing needs installed
- new backsplash needs installed
- whole kitchen needs painted

- install new light switch for under cabinet lighting - run the line too 
- install under cabinet lighting

- finish the electrical for the heated floors

- scrub every surface in the rest of the house and clear it of dust

This all ends in a baby...

oh boy!  Someone mentioned this on a chat board I frequent and it made me think - this 9 months of waiting, writing, and preparing will all end in a baby!  A live little human being that is wholly dependent on DH and I - and a boy no less (i've already got enough worries line up for the next 20 years)!

I've been having these moment more and more frequently. I'll be doing something and realize that it just won't be the same when little man arrives.  Not that it's a bad thing, don't get me wrong we're super excited and I really can't wait but it's all still surreal.  I really don't think it will hit me until we're walking in the front door with our new little human and then wondering what the heck we got ourselves into!

Take yesterday for example.  DH and I had a late night and ended up sleeping in later in the AM.  Laying there, semi awake, I realized that our days of sleeping in (or getting any type of restful sleep) are numbered! Or when I was taking a shower.  I spent 15 min in there - after I'd washed my hair and what not - just standing under the water as it fell around me and I realized that come March, showers that last longer than 5 min will be a luxury.  Walking the dog, making dinner, even my work day will be different when our little dude shows is pretty face. 

But you know what?  I'm perfectly at ease with that (okay, not perfectly, but I'll adjust).  We've had our time to do what we what, when we want etc.  It's time now to show our little one how great the world is what what cool things there are to be had and done. It does scare the bejezzus out of me that he'll actually grow up and go thru those lovely teen years but it also excites me to see what he becomes and what kind of man he'll be.

I'm sure every parent-to-be has these fears and I'm almost positive that they've figured they're way thru it.  I'm also positive that I'm in (we're in :) ) for 50+ years of worry, excitement, joy, sorrow, love and laughter and I'm okay with that:)

..No, I'm better thank okay....I'm ecstatic!