Passing of the Due Date and Into the New Year

Well, It's probably safe to say that my due date is not my delivery date. Obviously, as with every other mother that goes overdue, it is to my extreme dismay. My body keeps on tricking me with a whole slew of contractions that fizzle into oblivion, leaving my elevated hopes to be dashed. The good news though is that all of these contractions, even if they are fizzling, mean that my body is gearing up for the real deal, which could begin in the next few seconds, next few hours, next few days, or at the very worst 2 weeks out from now, when they would decide to induce me and force this baby from it's warm and cozy dwelling.

Currently, it's sleeting outside, so perhaps all that the baby is waiting for is some treacherous weather before we make a hurried trip to the hospital. Perhaps, it's a thrill-seeking baby (as if the actual process of birth wouldn't be thrilling enough).

It looks like the child tax break is going to elusively slip through our fingers for 2006...oh well, it still doesn't mean that we won't be ringing in the first day of the year with a crying baby in our arms. I'm trying to keep up hope that yes, someday this baby has to come out.

Cheers to the New Year!

Is it Time Yet???

I keep on thinking to myself, "is it time yet?" It seems like I could coax this baby out just by setting things straight. The bathroom is 99.9% done, the kitchen - completed, the nursery - finished, diaper bag - purchased...what else could this baby be waiting for??? Apparently it's waiting for its little den to become crushingly cramped. One would think that the elbow, foot, knee, or whatever body appendage it was that stuck out 2 inches the other night would be a good indication of that, but apparently not. All I can think about is how close we are to getting...or not getting the 2006 tax break for this child!

Well, the kitchen, minus me cleaning the remodel dust out of a few more cupboards, is done. I told Wes tonight that when I'm in it, I feel rich. That's a good feeling. It's still a modest kitchen, but it's a delightfully nice modest kitchen. I can stand being in it, and I think I might even enjoy cooking and doing the dishes more because of it! Although the process was horribly difficult to watch as everything got pulled apart, it was worth it, just like Wes told me it would be (which I had a hard time believing in the midst of it). Here are some pictures of our new and much improved kitchen - nevermind those dishes on the counter and stove (still cupboard cleaning):

I also figured now would be a good time to include perhaps the last picture of me pregnant with this child. 39 Weeks!

I hope all is well and that each of you had a wonderfully pleasant Christmas!...and Wes told me to tell all of you out in cyberspace, "hello."

Progress!

Well, it seems like we're making progress on the house. Maybe that's all the baby is waiting for - a brand new bathroom, before it will come out! If that's the case, then it will soon be well on it's way!

Yesterday was the day to get it all done, and for the most part, both Wes and I are content with the progress we made. It may not be that interesting, but I think it's worth enough to puff out our chests a little bit!

Wes - the workhorse - Patterson put up one more layer of mud on the drywall seams on the kitchen ceiling, filled up almost an entire dumpster (approx 10'x4') of the bathroom and kitchen remodel refuse, as well as garage items that were left behind from the previous owners, did a couple loads of laundry, and installed track lighting in our kitchen! I was amazed to see all that he was able to do. I'm thankful for his brawn.

I also took the day off to clean the house and worked from the top to the bottom. Never have I done so much lifting, squatting, crawling on the floor, climbing stairs, etc. all in one day! I did do quite a good job of deep cleaning the house. The only rooms that I couldn't clean were the kitchen, as it was under construction, and the dining room which is currently serving as the under construction overflow. It shouldn't be long until I can clean those as well. After cleaning for about 10 hours straight, I took the bathtub for its maiden voyage, and a delightful soak it was! I've been looking forward to that moment for an entire year...and the best part is I didn't fall through the floor!

The baby can come now.

Home in a Haze

It's a race against time. Home remodeling - if this doesn't throw me into early labor, it's probably safe to say, I won't go into early labor. Currently our entire house, despite blocking all doorways to the kitchen, is filled with a haze of dust, and I'm crossing my fingers that this baby does not come on a day like today.

It all began with a bathroom remodel project started last December.

Here's a picture of what it used to look like (and I guess that's partly why we got our house for as cheap as we did). With the slant in the roof, there was no way to install a shower. The previous owners never finished painting the thing. The sink leaked (hence the garbage can under it), and the layout was poor. Granted there's not a whole lot of space to work with here, but it's now on it's way to looking much better.

Here are a few pictures of our almost completed bathroom. I have to note that Wes has done an amazing job, even if it has taken a bit more time than hoped. I do have to give him credit though, he stripped the room down to the studs and joists and then rewired and replumbed the whole thing. The only fixture that is in the same space is the toilet, everything else found a new location and Wes even built a wall for the sink to go up against on one side and the shower on the other. There are a few remaining things that need to be done and then the bathroom will be complete.











Well, even though the bathroom is looking fine and dandy, there is a bit of a creak in the floor when walking over it. Wes is doubting that it's supported well enough to hold all the Durock and tile that was laid, so now it's on to pulling down the drop kitchen ceiling and then taking out the sheetrock, lath and plaster above it, so that he can support the beams from underneath...all so that I don't fall through the ceiling when I take my first bath in our gleaming new tub (fair enough). So, today, this is what we're dealing with:

Today, Wes is doing the demolition, the supporting of the floor of the bathroom and the electrical work for track lighting...and the clean up. And the tomorrow a blessed friend is going to help him install the sheetrock. After that I'll get to give the house another wipedown, one of many with all these projects.

In the meantime, I'm wondering if I should try to get out of the house and do a little Christmas shopping, but to be honest, I don't know what is worse, battling the dust, or battling the crowds.

A Little Pictorial History

The Babe Within (about 30 weeks)

Our Dwelling

A Couple of Our Treasured Pals


A Picture of Us


Where We Get to Live