Scrapping Anyway

Despite the busy weekend with potty training, I still found some tim (usually w/ Carly in my arms) to work on my 2008 family scrapbook. I skipped over 2007 for now so that I could get caught up on the current stuff while it’s fresh on my mind. I actually got halfway through with the pages I have planned for this book!

Got Alot Done

With my mom hanging around and helping out last week, we got WAY more done than any couple with a nearly 2 year old and a 1 week old should! My mom is a major DIY handy-woman, and just couldn’t contain herself when she came to stay. By the end of the 1st day she was just itching to get started on some projects. Who am I to complain?! I knew it’d happen, so that’s why I had already started a list of little projects around the house that needed doing, that just haven’t gotten done, for whatever reason. She actually started working on things while we were still in the hospital!  My to-do list that my mom tackled this week… as you’ll notice, she didn’t leave us much to do after she left! hahaShe got Jason involved in a lot of the projects too, and some of these he actually did on his own.

• Install Handheld Showerhead & Caulk Around the Ring
• Install Blinds in Our Bedroom
• Fix Drippy Master Toilet
• Fix/Oil Master Closet Door Knob
• Fix the Storm Door Alignment so it’ll Actually Close
• Remove the Satellite Dish
• Remove the Antenna
• Put a Piece of Screen Over the Chimney to Keep Birds Out (need to call chimney sweep first to get current nesting birds out)
• Put Hinges on the Sandbox Door
• Re-Configure the Sandbox Lid Boards to Make an Easier To Open Lid
• Dig Out the Rose Bush in the Front Flowerbed
• Dig Out the Bush Stumps in the Front Flowerbed
• Check on the Roof Leak and Seal Where Possible
• Hang the Letters for Carly’s Name in the Nursery
• Fix the Wet Bar Cabinet Door that’s Sagging
• Install Trim Around the Guest Bath Mirror (need to buy trim)
• Change Light Fixtures in the Guest Bath (need to buy light fixtures)
• Install and Overhead Light in the Garage (Bonus! They ended up re-wiring a bunch of stuff and putting in 2 new outlets too!)
• Paint the Nursery Furniture (need a non-muggy day to paint)
• Some Projects she thought of that I hadn’t -
  • Replace the Missing Toe Kick Under the Dishwasher and End Cabinet in the Kitchen & Install Trim
    
  • Fertilize the Yards
  • Replace Missing Pickets on the Fence
  • Replace the Damaged Board Around the Garage Door (We discovered ACTIVE termites there! Yuck! so had to get that treated first, so that project is sitting unfinished right now.)
  • Clean Some Previous-Owner Junk Out of the Attic

It was such a busy week that I’m probably forgetting some of the other stuff that got done, but we always appreciate having my mom come stay for a while! Jonah CERTAINLY enjoyed having his Mamaw around to play with, and to “help. work. hammer. outside. saw. ears. noise. loud.” with!

The Main Reason for Coming

The Other Main Reason for Coming

Jason Helping With the Projects

Jonah Helping With the Projects

New Baby – New Project

With the addition of our little girl, Carly Michelle, to our family I have added a new blogging outlet for myself! I attempted to start this photography project, called the 365 Challenge, with Jonah at one point, but always wished I had started at his birth and used it to document his 1st year in our life. I kind of failed at keeping up with it, but I’m wanting to try again now that I have a new little life to document as well! The idea is that I take at least one photo every day and post it on this blog. I’m sure I’ll get behind on ocassion and I’ll forget entirely on ocassion, but you’ll forgive me! I know you will! Here’s where you’ll find the 365 blog… http://365pacesfromhere.wordpress.com Enjoy!

The New To-Do List

With only 5 days left to get stuff done before baby comes… I’ve revised our “to-do” list down to the things I really want to get done most, assigned them a day and who’s doing them (Me, Jason, or both of Us)

• Wednesday
  • Do a whirlwind “home blessing” cleaning spree throughout the house (Us)
  • Install 5 nails over the crib for her name letters (Us) … oops, can’t do cause the spacing will be different depending on which letters we need to use.
  • Give boy child a much needed haircut (Us… may be a 2 person job!)
  • Boy Child Bath (Us… usual routine)
  • Watch Lost (Us)
• Thursday
  • Last day of work (Jason)
  • Address the rest of the announcement envelopes (Me)
  • Write a few Thank You notes (Me)
  • Finish writing down boy child meal options (Me) … eh, save it for tomorrow.
  • Charge extra batteries for the camera (Me)
  • Go to Ghengis Grill & Watch the Mavs on TV with Brent (Us)
• Friday
  • 3-4 Hours to do last homework assignment (Jason)
  • Last Dr’s Appointment (Us)
  • Go somewhere and do something fun with the boy child (Us)
  • Start painting the dresser and side table (We’ll say Us or Jason, but know it’s really Me hehe) was forecasted to rain today… start it tomorrow.
  • Visit the Fosters? Or maybe on Saturday, whichever they’d rather. (Us)
• Saturday
  • Start laundry and change sheets (Us)
  • Move the queen mattress to the dining room and inflate air mattress for boy child in his room (Us)
  • Call people who haven’t looked at/rsvp’d to Jonah’s b-day evite (Me)
  • Paint 2nd coat on dresser and table (Me)
  • Gas up the van (Jason)
  • Buy Stamps (Jason)
  • Take care of Mother’s Day & Giving-Birth-Day Gift(s) (Jason)
  • Vacuum out the van (Jason/Us)
  • Get a video of the belly jumping (Me/Us)
• Sunday
  • Go to Church (Us)
  • Buy Groceries & “Berries” (Me & My Mom maybe? or Us)
  • Pay Bills (Jason)
  • Paint the likely needed 3rd coat on the dresser and table (Me)
  • Finish Laundry (Us)
  • Pack Jason’s Bag (Jason)
  • Finish Packing My Bag (Me)
  • Load the truck (Jason)
    • My Bag
    • Baby Bag
    • Jason Bag
    • Pump Bag
    • Laptop Bag
    • School Bag (Jason’s SUPPOSEDLY going to study for his exam, while we’re in the hospital.   We’ll see.)
    • Boppy
    • Picture Frame

Mini Darth Vader

Posing With the Light Saber

We went to a party last night with a few of our college friends that was to be a “lash hoorah” sort of party before Sarah-jenne and I have our babies in a few weeks. The theme was Star Wars so Jonah and I dressed up (Jason’s a slacker)… Jonah was Darth Vader, a costume I picked up the day before at Party City for $6 because of a fluke with their system… guess they’re not used to selling costumes in the off season cause it said “item not for sale” when they rang it up. It was supposed to be $19.99 according to their website, but the manager gave it to me for $5.99! I got a couple of cute pictures of him, but never got a picture of myself with my Jawa costume on. I have one from when I wore it for going to see Episode 3 in theaters, but didn’t get a shot of the pregnant Jawa. Oh well. I think for Halloween this year, we’ll all 4 dress up as Star Wars characters since Jonah will still probably fit in his Vader costume. I just need to get an infant sized Princess Leah costume for our little girl when it gets closer, and Jason needs to pick a star wars costume too.

Trying to Collapse the Light Saber

The snacks were all Star Wars themed too. We made some Princess Leah Garlic Bread Rolls. There were also Chewy Wookie Cookies, Light Saber Taquitos (you could dip them into queso, salsa, or guacamole to make your “light saber” whatever color you wanted hehe), Bobba Fettacunie, Ham Solo, and a Death Star Cookie Cake. We watched episodes 4 & 5 then started playing Munchkin while episode 6 started up before heading home. Jonah was really well behaved the whole night, but it was way past his bedtime when we left. We got him in bed at about 10pm! Poor little guy, so tired, but he had a great time. So did we!

Daddy’s Little Building Buddy

Jonah was quite the little helper!

This was just too cute for me not to blog about it! Jason sat down to start putting together the new side table and mini dresser that we bought from Ikea for the nursery, and Jonah jumped right in on helping him out! He was putting screws and pegs in the holes for Daddy, fetching boards and “dew divers” for him, and trying to help hammer some of the parts together. We had to reel in his enthusiasm some though, because it’s all made out of soft pine wood and even with his little plastic toy hammer, he was managing to leave a few good marks in the wood! hehe I just had to get this pictures though, for putting in this little girl’s scrapbook… showing that her big brother personally had his hand in helping put her furniture together. What a good helper! For more pictures from their building adventures, check out my “Pre-Baby Girl” album on Facebook.

A Growing To Do List

With less than 2 months, now, before our little girl arrives, my brain has started churning over all the things that I have to, and would like to, get done before that time. My friend Sarahjenne made a similar list on her baby blog, so I guess I’m stealing the idea from her!

Need to Do Before She Comes:

• Make arrangements for going to the hospital (with back up plans)
  • Write down Jonah’s schedule, routines, and weird habits
  • Write down Jonah’s usual snack/meal options & preferences
  • Write down Jonah’s most difficult to understand phrases
  • Get volunteers that can come watch or come get Jonah from the hospital, if I go into labor before the c-section date, until my parents can gather up their stuff and make the 2 hr drive here.
• Get baby clothes and bedding ready
• Get baby bottles ready
• Pack for the hospital
  • Her bag. Since she’ll be rooming in with us most of the time at the hospital, and because I’ll be there for 3-4 days, I plan to take:
    • (3) newborn t-shirts
    • (3) 0-6 mo gowns
    • (3) burp cloths
    • (6) pairs of baby socks
    • Her cherry-print onesie for a twinkie photo op w/ Sarahjenne’s baby if they come to visit.
    • Her homecoming dress, shoes, socks, hat & hair bow (I plan to clip the pink bow to her little white hat)
    • Baby Nail Clippers
    • Pacifier
    • Pink gingham print blanket & ladybug blanket for photos
    • Her Baby Book
    • Nursing Cover
    • Video Camera & Power Cable
  • My Medela pump bag just in case I need it at the hospital like I did last time.
  • Boppy Pillow
    
  • Shop for & purchase a big brother t-shirt and a few small surprises to have for Jonah at the hospital when he comes to visit.
  • Buy a picture frame from Ikea to take for visitors to sign like we did for Jonah’s arrival. (w/ tax return $)
  • My hospital bag.
    • Birth Plan
    • Insurance & ID
    • Cell Phone, chargers & Headphones
    • Laptop (load the announcement files on and include internet cable just in case!)
    • DSLR Camera & USB Cable
    • Hair Brush
    • Hair Bands & Clips
    • Deodorant
    • Toothbrush & Toothpaste
    • Chap Stick
    • Going Home Outfit
    • Slippers
    • 3 Pairs of Socks
    • 3 Pairs of Throw-Away Undies
    • 2-pc PJ set
    • Nursing Bra and/or Tank Top
    • Nursing Pads
    • Snacks
    • Hard Candy
    • Jonah’s 4 big brother surprise gifts
    • Gift bag and tissue to put his gifts in
  • Jason’s hospital bag… who knows what he plans to take.
• Install the car seat
  • Buy another vehicle seat protector, like Jonah’s, to install under the baby’s car seat
  • Get the car seat’s instruction manual from the internet (bought on craigslist, so it didn’t come with one)
  • Install the baby’s car seat
  • Have the car seats checked for correct installation at our hospital for free
• Pre-Register at Centennial Hospital
  • Fill out the forms
  • Drop them off at the hospital or mail them in
• Buy a few last things for Jonah’s Easter Basket
• Prepare for the Playgroup Easter Party at our House
• Prepare for the Baby Announcements
  • Make a few templates
  • Load templates onto laptop
    
  • Order & address envelopes
  • Order pre-paid prints
  • Buy stamps

Would Like to Do Before She Comes:

• Finalize Jonah’s Birthday Party Plans
  • Send out invitations/Call those who don’t check email!
    
  • Put together party favor bags
  • Order the party favors online
  • Buy the rest of the party supplies
  • Do a 2nd practice run of making the train cakes (first attempt failed miserably)
  • Get the rest of Jonah’s birthday gift(s) and wrap them
• Finish the nursery
  • Get Jason to raise the mattress back up on the crib
  • Paint the picture frame mat and the lady bug in the middle
  • Hang the picture frame and 2 heart canvases up behind the chair.
  • Find a place to hang her 1st year calendar.
  • Buy the side table and unfinished crib-side mini dresser from Ikea (w/tax return $)
  • Get the mini dresser primed and painted white
  • Get the side table primed and painted white
  • Organize the dressers and the hutch
  • Buy and install a new ceiling fan/light fixture & dimmer switch
  • Hang the letters for her name
  • Find and buy a heavy ladybug garden ornament to use as a door stop when we have the windows open.
• Finish the guest bathroom makeover
  • Install a hand held shower attachment in the guest bathroom
  • Hang up a new shower curtain
  • Replace the bare bulb light fixtures in the guest bathroom?
  • Install trim around the mirror?
• Buy some Velcro and finish up the Boppy cover I made
• Make a Taggie blanket or burp cloth to match the Boppy cover. (buy ribbon first)
• Do some gardening
  • Plant something in the new back yard flower bed
  • Plant some tomatoes in the new back yard flower bed
  • Add in the 2nd back yard flower bed on the other side of Penny’s gate?
  • Till up the garden spot and plant some veggies?
  • Clean out the rest of our front  flower beds and plant something there
• Make the train table operable and the area semi-presentable for Jonah’s birthday party
  • Buy & hook up a power supply & locomotive (w/ tax return $ maybe?)
  • Cut, Finish, & Attach the nice wood sides
  • Install the cork board or picture frame with sketches and diagrams of the finished plans above the table
  • Install the 2nd and maybe even 3rd level of plywood just for looks?
  • Install the light above the table
  • Install the shelves for the HO scale trains
  • Hang a couple of picture frames with the shelves
  • Swap the small black arm chair for the big red one in the office
• Mothers Day/Birthday Presents
  • Mamaw’s Mother’s Day and Birthday Present
  • Nonna’s Mother’s Day and Birthday Present
  • MY Mother’s Day and Giving-Birth-Day Present (nudge nudge Jason!)

Need to Do at Some Point:

• Get roof leak fixed (call insurance company during the next big rain)
• Make her Christmas stocking
• Buy & Install new blinds in our bedroom
• Get window screens for the whole house
• Have A/C serviced or replaced
• Replace the ceiling fans in the playroom and master bedroom (at least)
• Get chimney swept
• Start working on her 1st year scrapbook (traditional style)
• Do family scrapbooks for 2006, 2007 & 2008 (digital style)

That’s all I have the energy for right now. I need to be napping while the boy child is down, so I’m sure I’ll come back to these lists to add more later.

Baby Eviction Date Set!

Given the way things went down when I was induced with Jonah (being induced, 1 day after my due date, for 44 hours and dialating to 10cm only to have him not be able to come down because he was too big, and end up with a c-section anyway) my doctor and both are hesitant to give this little girl a chance to get that big and try to come on her own. For that reason, we now have a repeat c-section scheduled about a week before my actual due date. I’m excited that it’s official now, we WILL go into have a baby no later than Monday, April 27th, at 7:30 am (we have to check into the hospital at 5:30 am! yuck!) That’s if she doesn’t decide to come before then. Our hope is that if labor starts before then, she’ll still be small enough to be able to decend without a problem. Our playgroup has a trip to the Dallas Zoo scheduled for April 22nd, so who knows, maybe she’ll decide to come then, while I’m doing all that walking around. Jason is planning on coming with us to the zoo, just in case I need him to drive me back to the hospital in a hurry!

So Sorry

Sorry for the lack of blog content lately. As many of you know, Jonah, Jason and myself have taken turns being sick with congestion and with stomach bugs over the past couple of weeks. Nothing real major to report I guess. We’ve been lazy.

We finally took down the christmas decorations this past weekend but they’re still sitting in boxes in our kitchen, waiting to be stuffed back up into the attic.

Since Jonah got sick, he got his way quite a bit (cause I knew he didn’t feel good) and he’s apparently decided that he should ALWAYS get his way, so now we’re fighting off multiple major melt downs a day. He screams “none” or “done” or something like that if he disagrees with what you’ve told him to do or offered him. He runs to another room and will bang his head on the wall or door and reapeat “none” over and over again… or he’ll fall out in the floor and shake his head back and forth violently… arching his back, pulling away from us, all that fun stuff. I guess at 21 months, I should have expected that the “Terrible Two’s” would be cropping up any time now. Oh joy. I’ll have to video tape one of these fits some time, just to document it and share it with you… maybe then you, like Jason, will discover why it is that so many parents seem to just give up on discipline and let the tantrums run rampant… it’s exhausting!

On the baby front, I’m now 28 weeks along and I only gained 1 lb since my visit last month (thanks to that stomach bug no doubt!) I am measuring right on schedule, and hopefully we’ll be setting a c-section date at my next appointment. That’s 4 weeks away, and then she says after that I’ll be on the every 2 weeks schedule and then once a week… that’s how you know when you’re getting close!

With impending baby on the way, I have been trying to do as much as I can, ahead of time, to organize a little birthday party for Jonah with some of his playgroup pals. I’m thinking I’ll mostly invite the boys close to his age, and let their older/younger sibling tag along. We’ve decided to do a Train theme for the party because we’re going to get him the LLABO train set from Ikea, and he likes anything with wheels… so choo-choos are fine by him. I’ve got a lot of cute ideas for the cake, and invitations, party invitations, and a couple of age appropriate train-themed activities for the kids. I think it’ll be a lot of fun. I guess the one thing I fear, about having a train theme party, is that everyone will assume it’s because he’s into Thomas the Train. He’s got no clue who Thomas is, and I’d rather keep it that way. I just really hate character branded kids items… they’re usually cheaply made and overpriced because they have some cartoon character on them, and I’d prefer to just have generic toys as long as we can help it (hence why we’re getting him the ikea train and not a thomas train) but that’s another rant for another day.

Right now it’s time to make dinner and get ready for Jason to get home from class. I’ll leave you with a random picture… Jonah chillin’ in the storage tub that his duplos are supposed to be in:

Silly Boy, Tubs are for Duplos!

Furniture Moved

heh, I just couldn’t shake the idea, so I moved the furniture around and took some pictures of the new arrangement. I’m definitely like it more this way. I can leave the door cracked enough to peek in (and see the crib without having to actually open the door)  but it still keeps the outside light from coming into the room. I could also nurse with the door standing open (so I can yell for help when I need it) without people walking by and seeing me. While I was at it, I went ahead and hung the curtains and her quilt up on the wall. Enjoy the pics!

View From the Door

View From the Crib

View From the Recliner

View From the Changing Table