M is 5 months! K is 420 Months! Christmas is only 5 Days Away...

There is a lot of excitement at the ol' Money Pit these days. M's first Christmas is rapidly approaching (largely unbeknownst to her - although she does like to eat wrapping paper we found out!) and K's birthday has just come and gone.

It was a busy, but wonderful, weekend of holiday preparations and celebrating...and, M even got to meet Santa! We'll start with that...So, we were celebrating birthdays (3 over the course of 9 days - whew!) at Uncle S and Aunt G's house when we hear this siren. It turns out that Santa was riding down the street in a fire truck! Now, since we had not yet trekked to the mall or a nearby town for M's photo with Santa, this was a great opportunity. So, J grabbed M (and her coat - it was cold out) and literally ran down the street after the truck yelling, "Hey, Santa!"

This Santa was very friendly, stopped and whole-heartedly agreed to pose for a photo with little M. M seemed totally unfazed as we handed her over. No crying, no fussing, no wary glances at this man in the bright red suit and big white beard. Nope, totally a normal day for her...see for yourself:


This also happens to be her "I'm 5 months old today" photo - although it is a bit tough to gauge her size and growth next to Santa.

Anyway, this weekend also included Cookie Day with Aunt P, M, M, K and Grammy (Maryn helped) - check out the cool (lack of) countertops in the kitchen...but, hey, having three ovens was fabulous!:


And, we celebrated the Christmas gift giving tradition with MomMom's and GrandMomMom's family and the annual White Elephant party:



All in all, a wonderful weekend. Special thanks to M and J for a wonderful crepe birthday breakfast. Here's to many more...

Old-ily,
K, J & M

Someone's Getting Bigger...and the Kitchen is One Step Closer to Completion

So, M discovered that she can eat her feet today (or at least try to eat them - you know, gnaw on them and drool on them for a good couple of minutes and then pull back and look quizzically at her feet, wondering why they are not yet in her belly!). Hil-ar-ious. She seems to be truly enjoying the exercise.

She also is truly enjoying her Exersaucer these days (thanks, Auntie J!). Photo evidence:








In not-nearly-as-adorable news, the kitchen continues to come along...slowly, but surely, right?!? The countertops are one step closer to completion as we had the lumber company / fabricator / carpenters out today to do more measurements. If we hear "you know these walls are bowed out?" one more time, I'm going to bow somebody right in the head. It's a 100+ year old stone house, people! Of course the walls are bowed!!!

Anyway, whenever I get frustrated, I take a break and get to spend it with these two:

Heaven...

Happy-ily,
K, J & M

Thankful

M's 1st Thanksgiving brought SNOW (!) and made us think of the many things that we are thankful for this year:

M's giggles
Pumpkin pie & sweet potatoes - yummy
The sweet coo-ing noise M makes when she sneezes
Stoves that work
A dishwasher
Chocolate chip cookies warm out of the oven
Trevor's good hips
Tuscany's watch dog instincts
Still being married after 27 months of home renovations
Our health
Our family's happiness

Thank you for a wonderful holiday weekend - thinking of you all,
K, J & M

Four Months!?!

Yep, that's right - four months old! Getting bigger by the minute...also getting more hair every day and winning us over with her new giggling capabilities.

We present to you, "The Babe"


We know we've been woefully remiss about posting updates lately, but there are very GOOD reasons: 1.) M's eating schedule - it really is a full-time job for all those involved. 2.) K's travel schedule has ramped back up a bit and J has had his hands full (and been a trooper considering M has decided she really doesn't prefer a bottle...at all!). and 3.) (drumroll please...) the kitchen has been under the last stages of heavy construction and we now have a floor, a sink, a dishwasher and stoves!!! First use of all this new-fangled kitchen technology is slated for tomorrow and we are beyond excited. No word yet on first meal. Photos coming soon.

Also, Miss M and her constant getting bigger plan - yep, it continues full force. Two weeks ago at her last check-up, she weighed in at a happy and healthy 15 lbs 8 oz. That puts her in the "yeah, she's still off of this chart" according to our doctor. She's also now 26" long and has a noggin measuring 16" around. All good stuff.

As mentioned above, M has also taken to giggling - mostly at her Daddy and definitely when he practices her swimming kicks of skiing moves. Loves it. Giggles. Melts our hearts.

Looking forward to seeing everyone soon for the holiday (or are thinking of you dear friends and hope to see you over New Year's!).

Turkey-ly,
K, J & M

Happy Halloween from the Sweet Pea!

Yes, Halloween is here and while the only frightening thing about it this year is the state of our kitchen (!), it was a fun time here at the house. M is not quite old enough to go door-to-door, but we did get festive and make her her very first costume (thanks for the help, Grammy!) - a SWEET PEA.


Before donning the costume, M hung out for the day, had breakfast with Pop Pop and C. and watched some football with Daddy. (Thanks for the Halloween outfit, Mom-Mom!)


Then, it was time to be the "go green"





Of course, once she got the costume on, M really just wanted to eat the peas off her chest and belly - she's ALWAYS hungry! - so it was a good thing we made them like they were teething rings.

After a long, busy day M decided to relax with a calming bath and cozy snuggles:


Good night, all!
K, J & M

3 Months Old!

Well, M continues to get bigger and bigger - 3 months old today. Whew! Where does the time go?!?

Now that we've made it to 3 months, we're experiencing all kinds of amazing things - sleeping through the night (yeah! not every night, but still, yeah!!!), eating our hands (it's super-fun, apparently), BIG smiles (still no giggles, but lots and lots of smiles), sitting up with some support and almost (sooooo close!) rolling over.

Here's the 3 month pic - note the "I've so got these two wrapped around my finger" smirk!


We're also experiencing the joys of all of M's hair falling out and being replaced with reddish blonde peach fuzz. We'll see how it comes in! Finally, we can report that the blue is totally gone from M's eyes - we're currently at hazel, but think that may just be a quick stop on the way to brown.

In other news - the kitchen saga continues. Thankfully, things are moving forward. Unfortunately, that has meant that we've been tied to the house getting deliveries and meeting with contractors and have yet to head to VT for our anniversary! We're still hoping to get up there soon, but in the meantime are taking delivery of dishwashers (yeah!!!), flooring, faucets, sinks, a toilet (the powder room), range hoods, the stoves and even more odds and ends.

Next up is picking out hardware for the cabinet doors...ahhh, the oh-so-exciting life we lead. There's worse things (we know!)...we could still have no heat!

Toast-ily!
K, J & M

Top of the Charts...

Well, we've made it to 11 weeks and M continues to grow (and grow...and grow)! Her latest dr. appt. was Friday and went something like this:

Dr.: she looks great...very happy and healthy.
K: excellent!
Dr.: let's see..23.5" is 75th percentile for length and 13 lbs 13 oz is...umm....not on this chart. let's just say she's at the top of the charts.
K: ok. is that ok?
Dr.: it's wonderful!

K picks up M off the examining table and holds her on her hip. Dr. turns around and sees them...

Dr.: wow...she is really big!
K: you just said that.
Dr.: no, I mean when I see you holding her...she's really big. And what great head control...keep it up!
K: ummm...thanks...?

So here's a recent pic of the "little one":

She's loving facing "out" in her Baby Bjorn carrier (with Grammy) - much more to see!

She's also had some very important "firsts" in the past few weeks (I know, I know - we're behind on blog posts!):
-- graduated into 6-9 month clothing, Sept. 12 (9 weeks old)
-- wore her first pair of jeans, Sept. 20
-- first bath in the "big tub", Sept. 28
-- wore her first turtleneck, Oct. 3 (Mommy is SO proud!)

Ahhh...the time is flying.

Speaking of time flying - it never seems to when it comes to the kitchen schedule. There, things take FOREVER. That being said, there is important progress. Cabinets have not only arrived, but have been INSTALLED! We're still waiting on 2-3 additional pieces and the glass doors, but the framework is largely in. Appliances and floor in 2 weeks. Here's the latest:




Progress...it's a good thing.

Two Months!?!

Seriously - where does the time go? M is now 2 months old (+1 day) and is growing bigger by the second.

You may remember the oh-so-cute "I'm one month old today" photo from last month. Well, we attempted to recreate that cute factor for the 2 month picture. M had other plans:


Of course, this is a photo of the 3-5 minutes that she was really unhappy all day. The other 23+ hours, she's a happy-go-lucky little one with more and more smiles being doled out every day! We're anxiously awaiting the giggles and laughs (money's on J getting the first ones out of her).

The past couple of weeks have also bought her first "boo boo" (scratched her face in her sleep):


In other news, the Money Pit continues to progress. We finished the living room painting - gorgeous! Then, of course, we quickly filled the room with our new kitchen cabinets (ummm...a whole tractor trailer pulled up with ONLY our cabinets in it when they delivered them!):


On that note, the installation actually starts TOMORROW! Here's the last BEFORE picture of the kitchen:


In-progress pics of the installation coming soon. Have a great week, all!

Renovation-ally,
K, J & M

Whew! Time is Flying...

Yes, the days and weeks are just whooshing by here at the old/under construction homestead. Labor Day has come and gone, summer is winding down and everyone is back to work. M is growing by leaps and bounds (more on that later!) and the house continues to move forward (slowly - what else is new?!? - but surely).

First, M. The little sweet pea is now 7 1/2 weeks old! When did that happen? At her last doctor's appointment (Sept. 2), she measured 22.5 inches and weighed in at a whopping 11 lbs 11 oz. This means she gained nearly 3 lbs in 3 weeks. This also means she is in the 90th percentile for weight (she weighs more than 90% of other babies her age!). It also means - as our doctor pointed out - that she's in the 40th percentile for a THREE MONTH OLD. We've got a good eater here for sure. She continues to woo us with her smiles - she's started to dole them out, but still sparingly - and her constant "talking". Also, sleeping has become more of a habit for her at night, which makes everyone happier!

We recently had a few of her first 'pro' photos taken by the photographer we used for a wedding (also a friend) and they turned out beautifully. Is she gorgeous, or what?



In money pit news, the kitchen cabinets should be here next week - good news. The 60 inch range hood is a special order and won't be delivered until October 18 - bad news. The painting on the 1st floor is 90% completed - good news. There is still 10% of the 1st floor that needs sanding and painting (including the doors) - bad news. Photos coming soon!

All in all, good things...no complaints here.

Much love,
K&J

One Month Old

Here's M's "I'm One Month Old Today" photo (thanks for the idea, Auntie Julie!)



They say pictures are worth 1,000 words...we think all 1,000 of them would be "CUTIE!"

Oh, and yes, that's Trevor in the background. He can't stand to be more than a few feet away from his new best friend, M (J is devastated!).

Cutie-ly,
K, J & M

Meeting More Family!

What a big couple of days for M...we've been telling her all about her Grand Mom-Mom C and her cousins S & S and how much she's going to love them. Well, this weekend she got to meet Grand Mom-Mom and today, her cousins came to visit and meet her along with Uncle S. What a treat!

First, here's M with Grand Mom-Mom:


Now, feast your eyes on this cuteness - the cousins' first meeting:






All in all, a great day. And, we were able to top it off by priming the kitchen and painting in the living room (thanks to our babysitter, Mom-Mom D!). Progress continues...and, M is ONE MONTH OLD tomorrow. Talk about progress!

With one-month love,
K, J & M

A Message From M

Hello, all -- since I am four weeks old today, I figured I better get on the family blog and post some updates. Like Mommy, I can be a bit impatient at times (you know this if you've been anywhere near me when I need a diaper changed!), so I wanted to give you all the latest scoop directly - Mommy can take too long to write new posts!

Anyway, things are going well here. My days are pretty much the same, but very enjoyable (for me, anyway). I'm getting way bigger - weighed in at 9 lbs. 2 oz. earlier this week at my doctor's appointment! I didn't get much longer based on their measurements, but Mommy & Daddy don't know how that's possible since I've sized myself right out of my "newborn napper" on my bassinet. Anyway, I'm filling out and...well, let's just say that there seems to be some "rolls" in my legs' and arms' future. :-)

So, here I am today - just hanging out...sporting my new oh-so-chic cloth diaper (I have lots of colors so I can coordinate with my ever-growing wardrobe - it's hard to tell from the photo, but this one is lilac):


Also, I'm gearing up to tour the neighborhood - now that I have me some cool wheels:


I also like to sit and ponder - especially after baths, which I find very soothing. Seriously, I mean PONDER (hey, I can only smile in my sleep so far, so cut me some slack!):


OK, I better go catch some beauty sleep - I have to be up at 11pm, 1:30am, 3:30am and 5:30am to keep Mommy and Daddy on their toes!

Oh, and Mommy wanted me to mention that the house is really coming along too - Daddy's downstairs painting right now and the Billiards Room and Dining Room are all finished. The Living Room and Hallway are in progress and Daddy's also painting the new walls in the kitchen. Whew...we should actually have a "downstairs" soon. Can't wait!

Newborn-ally,
M
(K&J too)

Three Weeks...Three Weeks!

Well, we've hit another milestone - M is now three weeks old! Where does the time go?!?

It's been a great week for us, M and the house - M is continuing to grow and grow, Auntie Julie came for a visit to Philadelphia and the house is progressing despite the fact that our time is now almost fully dedicated to feedings and diapers! :-)

First, evidence of the feedings and diapers - here is the link to the online photo album of some of our favorites photos of M:


Second, the kitchen is an actual ROOM now. We know, we know - hard to believe, but it's true. Feast your eyes:



The cabinets and windows are ordered, the electric & plumbing is already all roughed in and we're picking out paint tomorrow and flooring this week.

We're also moving through the first floor - taping the wainscoting has been a time- and labor-intensive project...



But, the end results are gorgeous (those pics coming in the next post)!

M's next doctor's appointment is tomorrow and we're anxious to see how much she weighs now...will keep you all posted.

Busily,
K, J & M

Two Weeks...Two Weeks...

While we're used to hearing the "two weeks" refrain from all of our contractors ("Really, we'll be done in two weeks..." Riiiiiiight!), this timeframe has taken on a whole new meaning today - Pipsqueak has joined us and is today TWO WEEKS old!

Oh my goodness, the time is flying by already! :-)

Pipsqueak - now known as M - is doing fabulously well and growing by leaps and bounds. She hasn't quite gotten the hang of the "awake during the day, asleep during the night" thing, but we're working on it. And, she's cute enough that it doesn't really bother us (yet).

If you're reading this blog, you probably know all the details about M joining us (thanks again for going so easy on Mommy, M!), but you probably have not seen all the photos we've snapped over the past two weeks (feels like 1000s!) and you definitely haven't seen the big changes and progress we've made on the house. In fact, there is banging, drilling and power sawing buzzing three floors below me as I type this (M is lounging asleep - unfazed) because the kitchen is being drywalled today (yeah!). We're also painting the Billiards Room (thanks, K's Mom!) and the Dining Room (thanks, K's Dad!) today and J has already insulated the exterior kitchen walls and demo'd a hallway wall we decided to re-drywall this morning.

All in all, a very productive Sunday (and a nice way to celebrate M's two weeks).

Next project - K will be linking a Google Picasa album to these posts so you can peruse more pics of M and the house. (There are getting to be so many that it's using up all the blog bandwidth!). In the meantime, here's a pic of M to keep you occupied until I can upload all the additional photos!



With much love,
K&J

Progress is a Tricky Thing...

You see, you make the progress and you think it's done, made, complete. But, then you realize the progress is fleeting, fickle and can toy with your emotions.

Case in point - our retro chic green bathroom. On a side note - we recently discovered that this was "remodeled" and "modernized" in 1935 when we opened up the kitchen ceiling and exposed all the pipes to find handwritten dates on them. Of course, they are 50-year pipes (you do the math!), so now we are re-plumbing the whole bathroom. Anyway...progress in the green bathroom...if you recall, we had replaced the toilet and sink and had a fully-functioning, if not almost complete (new ceiling, new plaster, new closet, all new paint, new radiator cover paint) guest bath. Here's how it looks today:


Note the "floating" sink and lovely hole in the floor...yeah, that sink's out of commission.


And, why yes, that is our toilet IN THE TUB. Great. Love it.

At least we'll have all new plumbing in that bathroom (you all - as the "guests" that will use said "guest bathroom" should appreciate that!) within the week.

In another oh-so-comical example of "progress", the Lounge was looking pretty good and "getting there" in terms of drywall, wiring, painting and even some furniture and unpacked items. Here it is as of today:

"What is that?" you say. "Another wall being built? But, I'm confused..." Yes, it is a structural support wall digging right into our freshly painted ceiling - lovely. The carpenters realized that without it, K's office may, you know, "fall down from the 3rd floor into the 2nd floor lounge" when they removed one of the walls in the kitchen, but before they had laid the new steel support beams.

While we did want to keep the ceiling paint intact, this seemed like a not-really-an-option situation...hence, the temporary wall.

But, don't fret. More "progress" marches on. The 1st floor stairway, living room, dining room and billiards room are all completely re-plastered. Ceilings have been fully repaired (or, in the case of the living room, were demo'd and replaced with new drywall) and the plasterers meticulously worked around all of the wainscoting - K was ready to kill the whiny #$#%@!!! by day 5.

Here is some of that handiwork - we're mid-priming and painting, but you get the idea...1000% improvement!

The top of the stairwell heading from the 2nd floor hallway down to the 1st floor (the 2nd floor deck is out that window).


The view going down the stairs.

If you recall, this used to be a lovely shade of dirty cream (curdled?) walls and mud brown wainscoting and trim (we are shocked that the last painter's oh-so-savvy attempt to make it look like dark hardwood didn't quite work out!). It will soon be a buttercream wall with extra bright white trim and wainscoting. Can't wait.

In other related news, we're closing in on 2 weeks until Pipsqueak's anticipated arrival. K's belly is dancing around as Pips continues to show that he/she loves music and the sounds of Daddy's voice and Trevor & Tuscany's barking. Thankfully, Pipsqueak also seems to enjoy the hum of power tools (thank goodness!). K is hoping she has the full 2 weeks (all signs point to yes (fingers crossed!) so far) for both work and house renovation reasons. Meanwhile, J is kicking off marathon painting sessions and making progress all over the place. We'll keep you all posted!

Two-More-Weeks-Would-Be-Nice-ily,
K&J

Yeah...We Really Class Up the Neighborhood

As you can see, we've taken the home renovations up a notch:


Of course, K is ecstatic with this development and the fact that the partition/temporary wall will be built tomorrow to separate the kitchen project from the rest of the house - less dust and less mopping the floors every @%!@# day! The neighbors...perhaps not so much! But, we did hide it in the back and are very (very!) hopeful that it stays relatively under the radar given the coming week of 100 degree temps.

Speaking of the impending heat wave - what a perfect time to get into the swing of 10-12 workmen in the house at once! Yes, tomorrow marks the start of carpenter crew to layout and frame the new kitchen walls, floors and ceilings - including steel beams. We also have the plumbers coming to reroute all the radiator pipes that must now be moved to accommodate said steel beams (naturally) and to also replace all the plumbing for our retro-chic 1935 guest bathroom (yes, of course, original pipes!) now that they are exposed through the open kitchen ceiling. Finally, J is scraping the last section of canvas-over-plaster on the first floor (the hallway stairs) in preparation for the plasterer who should be here tomorrow to do the final wall repairs. Fun times here at the Money Pit.

It was a productive weekend (was there a holiday or something?!?) - we also repainted the 1st floor radiator covers:


Hung the curtains and set up the playroom:






And...we did find some time to relax. We had a very nice dinner on Friday night complete with some excellent mojitos for J (thanks so much - we're buying next time!) and we saw K's brother and his family and K's Dad on Saturday for a pre-holiday BBQ.

Here's the "only three weeks left" photo of Pipsqueak - the person on the right is NOT pregnant and shall remain nameless to protect his identity. ;-)


Class-ily,
K&J