Nursery Update part 2

While the Nursery isn't totally complete, all the important stuff is in and ready to go :-)

Now we just need to hang some art, the mobile, curtains and put the stars on the ceiling.
I'll be sure to post again when everything is done - but since our little guy might arrive before then, I wanted to be sure the important stuff was ready to go! :-)

Nursery Update

Matt was able to take a week off in between grad school semesters which allowed us to finally get all the study furniture out (to the basement) and the nursery furniture put together! We are still working on getting everything set up but it's looking more and more like a nursery :-)

 The Pack n Play will most likely end up elsewhere in the house, 

but for now we are keeping all baby stuff in the nursery.

 Windows will have new curtains - fabric has been found and curtains are in progress! The pile of laundry on the floor is your dose of reality (LOL) it will be washed soon and put away in the dresser.

 Crib and 3-in-1 rocker! 

The rocker will also probably end up elsewhere in the house...

Dresser! Changing table set-up on top :-)

We still need to spackle and touch up the walls where pictures were hung before and then put up some new artwork. Stars will go on the ceiling as well as the hot air balloon mobile over the crib :-)

The last piece of big furniture is being delivered next week and I'm so excited to get it into the room and put all the final pieces together.

32 days and counting down until our little man's arrival!

Surprise! Baby Shower :-)

This past Sunday I was thrown an amazing baby shower!

 It was a wonderful afternoon filled with great food, 

friends - some of whom I hadn't seen in over a year! - and some crazy awesome gifts! 

 Even some work peeps were there! :-)

 New friends and old friends alike :-)

 I had so much fun and so thankful to have such wonderful friends in my life :-)

 Miss Rosie with me (above) and Auntie Haley (below)

YAY!!! and thank you ladies, from the very bottom of my heart!

HUGE HUGS to each and every one of you :-)

Cleaning Out to make way for the Nursery

While we are waiting for the snow to melt, I've begun working on cleaning out my study on the second floor. It will be the Nursery come June :-)

Once again, I forgot to take before pictures, but here are some from it's current state and also the basements current state since that is where my study will be - the second floor will keep the guest room in preparation for grandparents and visitors.

 One of the bookcases will be staying but it's been cleaned out in prep for baby books, a few pictures and storage in the new white bins on th lower 3 shelves.

 That empty corner once held a 4-drawer file cabinet that has been moved out. I have to say that was one of the bigger projects as I had no idea how much stuff/junk/files it was holding! The cabinet is now in the basement with only the relevant items kept.

 The closet has been cleaned out and re-organized. The top shelf still holds some non-baby items but I'm trying to see if I can find a place for those too. The clothes in there are of all sizes and will most likely be gone through again to keep out only those that fit the little one when he arrives.... yes! we are having a boy! :-)

What happened to the second bookcase and all my books? Well, it moved to the guestroom behind the door! It was a perfect fit and thank goodness because I'm not sure where else it would have gone!

So this is the corner of the basement that is currently a holding area for my stuff until we get my study space set-up down there. Not all that pretty to look at, but I'm glad it's only 1 table and not 2 or 3!!

My current goal is to get everything moved to the correct floor (baby stuff to the Nursery, my study stuff to the basement) before I get too much bigger. Then items can move around to find their spots/homes from there.

What have you all been up to? :-)

To Do List 2015

Let's begin with a summary of items that have rolled over from year to year. Some of these we have decided we are not going to do, but here's the full list:

outdoor patio around bottom of deck stairs (moves grill off deck) - no longer happening
walkway from driveway around the lilacs to outdoor patio - no longer happening
living hedge border along far-side of the yard and down the driveway - started but incomplete
flowering shrubs on the inside of yard edge - no longer happening
backup generator for whole house - still a possibility but we are leaning towards no
air exchange unit for the house
new bulkhead for the basement exterior stairs
backyard shed - no longer happening
figure out garage storage
re-paint guestroom
continue clearing edges of yard
1 or 2 bonfires to clean-up yard waste and deadwood

If we take the above list and remove the items that are no longer going to happen, we have:

living hedge border along far-side of the yard and down the driveway - started but incomplete
air exchange unit for the house
new bulkhead for the basement exterior stairs
figure out garage storage
re-paint study which is now the guestroom
continue clearing edges of yard
1 or 2 bonfires to clean-up yard waste and deadwood

Now let's add a new project to the mix.... a nursery :-)

Needless to say, the list needs a bit of re-arranging! I'll fill you in more as we figure things out, but a lot of my absence over the past few months has been due to the ill-named morning sickness. I'm getting better but some days it's all I can do to get up, go to work, come home and eat dinner, so please pardon the sporadic posts!

Holiday Decor Wrap-up

Well this post is only a few weeks behind. sigh. I feel like 2015 is already getting away from me and it's not even two full weeks into the New Year! So, quick! before any more time flies by, here is a quick review of our holiday decorations this year :-)

Snowflake Tree - main colors where white and green this year

It was a lovely holiday season filled with family and friends and travel!

Reese: Adoption Day Year 4

So every year Mom does this picture thing of my past year. I told her this year I'm old enough to do it myself! I mean really, how hard can it be? She insisted on doing the photos herself though. I hope she doesn't embarrass me!

OK, so she started with our second Christmas in January with this picture. This is me at Dad's parents house on my all-time favorite blanket which I love so much that it only comes out on special occasions now. Not my fault it was old to begin with! All I do is pick it up to move it and there's another hole. sigh. Mom folds it up for me so it seems like there are no holes!

They are moving the snow around so I can walk on the cold ground instead of through the white stuff. Only it's taking forever so I sit and wait for them so then we can play.

Umm, They made the floor soft. and warm. The basement isn't so scary now. 

And before they put stuff down there is was a great place for me to run around and play!

Yep. more white stuff. 

OK. So I like running through the white stuff. It flys up and all over and Mom dug this nice hole so I can run in a big circle. It's kinda awesome.

OH man. Here we go with the sleeping photos. I have no clue why she keeps taking pictures of me sleeping. But that one is this place she goes all day. The rug smells funny and no one ever stays still. They are always moving around and it's hard to keep track of all of them. I sometimes give up and take a nap.

Sleeping at home with Mom on the couch with the soft blanket.

She was probably watching the glowing square.

Did they tell you they took my couch away?! I have no idea where this thing came from but it doesn't smell like my people and I don't like it. I'm kinda mad about it actually and won't go near it.

OK, ok. It's kind of ok. But not soft like the other one. 

Hrumph.

What?! Yes, I like it better with a blanket on it to make it soft.

This is my favorite park. We go here and I get to run!

It always has good smells.

I was hungry. Mom wasn't up yet. I told her to get up and put food and more water in my bowls.

Not a flattering picture.

So this new couch thing? it has lower sides and I can see out the window into the yard without moving! It's cool. I can be comfy and watch my yard.

This is my buddy Jonas. His house has a new person in it. A veery small person. We hang out sometimes. He's pretty chill about all the noise with the new person.

I honestly don't think Mom will ever stop painting something! But I like the new soft floor so I'm hanging out keeping an eye on her.

No more white stuff!! LOVE that I have my yard back. New smells and old smells and green stuff to eat and chew on - YUM!

Mom brought home more green stuff. I'm not allowed near it.

But I did get a car ride!

Dad went away. I guarded Mom. I was always with her. I missed Dad but he came back!

OH! Mom was doing something weird with white sticky stuff inside the house. She wouldn't let me lick it.

When it's hot my friend 'Bird and her people come to visit. She's older than me and doesn't like to play, but we chase squirrels and deer together. We also nap together. She likes napping.

Yep. She's napping while I keep an eye on the yard.

Even when it's hot she likes to be outside in the sun. She says it's hot all the time where she lives.

I loaned her my Thunder Shirt when the fireworks and thunder storms came this summer. In return she let me nap on her new bed! She seems to like mine better anyway, but her's is so big and cozy!

'Bird and her people have left. I miss them.

Mom gave me this new crunchy food thing. It was fun to nosh between my teeth.

Oh! This is my buddy Jordan. He came and stayed with us without his people for a few days. We chase each other and play all the time!

This is me with Jonas. His yard has squirrels and chipmunks!

Oh, Moooommm!!! It's weird, but she really likes it when I don't move when I sit on the front sometimes. I don't know why she doesn't want me to play with her in the yard.

 Mom took my picture to send to Rosie. I have never met her but I know I would love her. I see her pictures and hear her voice on Mom's phone sometimes.

 This was one of the last awesome days we spent at Kingman Farm before it got cold.

 I've found an even better position for watching the yard, the glowing box and Mom and Dad. PLUS! Mom has been putting down fuzzy blankets for me to lie on - MUCH better!

 Ummmm. Not sure about this fire thing inside the house this year. Kinda freaks me out.

 Mom thought this was funny for some reason - she woke me up with her shaking legs. Normally when she doesn't move it's a great napping spot.

 Oh yeah! When I go to the city with Mom, we go on walks in the city that have so many smells! I try to sniff everything, but there's always too much to smell on our walk!

 The start of the white stuff. Not enough for me to play in yet though.

 Mom and Dad went away for a while. I stayed with Uncle Bruce and Aunt Jenny. They were very nice and put a soft cover on their sofa so I could sit with Uncle Bruce. I've been here before and each time it gets better!

 This morning Mom gave me this new toy. It has squeakers that need to die. I'm working on that.

Thanks for reading this super long picture thing. I love living with Mom and Dad. They are my people and I always feel safe and loved. I've been here almost longer than I can remember and aside from the toe-nail trimming thing (does anyone really enjoy that?!) and the occasional blow dryer, life is good.

We love you Reese!!!