So Behind

I'm soooo behind on updating...I know.  Truth is, the past few days have been really rough.  I've not been feeling well at all.  Not a cold or anything...just not right.  VERY SORE, quite dizzy and lightheaded, lots of Braxton Hicks, and so very very tired.  On top of that, we have Trev working overtime, house renos, photoshoots, Moosey-pie, and the regular day to day house work.  I have great moments and I have moments where I can barely move.  It's a reminder.  A reminder to slow down.  A reminder that our worlds will be changing soon.  A reminder that sometimes the body just can't take it all!  I am trying to listen - I promise!  I better have a few pregnant weeks left!

I will post an update about the basement tonight...and then on Moose's room tomorrow (the dresser is in and his room looks awesome!).  My dad and Caitlin have been so helpful in working on some of the basement tasks this weekend.  They got some doors on :)  What a difference!  Looooove it!

The bathroom is coming along.  A few hang ups sadly, but we'll get there.  The tub surround didn't fit, so we have to get one custom made, and I've brought home a couple different toilet seats now - and nothing fits...so ridiculous!  Why do toilets not come with toilet seats?!  I'm also dying for Trev to come home and hang the darn light box so we can put up the light and mirror :)  It's all coming together - that's for sure!

Today's progress was getting the doors up, handles on, and casing around.  WHAT A DIFFERENCE!  My dad is kinda a sweet heart for toughing it out and doing the casing for me...he's so tired and sore...and I feel horrible that nothing seems to work out the first time around!

It makes such a difference.  The basement feels more complete...less awkwardly open.  I was very excited to see them up!

The studio door is coming too...We are using the door that used to separate the basement from the house before we developed down here and tore down that wall.  We thought we'd be able to reuse everything...now sadly we are learning that because the door was close to the wall - the casing and mouldings around aren't actually the same/right size.  Crappy.  It is a work in progress as we think of what to do...but having a door on the studio is great nonetheless. 

Last time Trev was home, he was eager to make his most exciting purchase for the basement...his TV.  We had some help hanging it, and it works...mostly...a couple things need adjusting but at least we can hang out down here.  Next step will be the speakers, etc, to go with it.  One step at a time, right?!

Oh, and this is Moose.  Captain Helpful.  Mr. Curiosity.  He is a good boy and has been so well-behaved with all the random nonsense that sometimes exists down here.

His art easle gets used DAILY and often has lovely pictures like this on it!  I LOVE it!  I love that he can color when he wants!  The other day he accidentally broke a piece of chalk and ran right to his Auntie asking for her 'help'.  He was so sad it broke.  He doesn't (knock on wood) even attempt to draw on walls or anywhere else he shouldn't.  I hope that behavior sticks, but you never know!

 I love progress.  Every day something else gets done  and - big or small - it makes a HUGE difference to it all.  Thank you EVERYONE who has pitched in helping in one form or another, whether it's with the tasks themselves, helping watch Moose, or helping us obtain our supplies.  We are so very grateful!

Happy Family Day Everyone :)

This and That!

Jackson has been so interesting lately!  He gets soooo much of what's going on and is now able to start verbalizing it.  It catches me by surprise often!  This morning, we were on our way downstairs...and he was saying 'eat' 'eat' 'eat' with every step we took.  He usually does the sign language sign for eat!  His words are new every day.  The other day while at Michaels looking at yarn, he said 'purple' while Caitlin and I were discussing colors.  Two nights ago when we were getting ready for bath, he pointed at the toilet and said 'pee'.  We sat him on it...and he didn't pee...but I think he's getting closer to understanding more.  I'm not planning on even attempting potty training until his baby brother gets here!  Yesterday we went and visited my grandparents and I said something to my Grandma and he said 'Grandma'.

He has also been a HUGE help lately and totally understands simple tasks.  Get me this, take this person that, those kinds of things.  He now likes helping out by putting his laundry in his hamper after we change him.  This morning, I asked him to put a used baggie in the garbage for me...so he happily did so.  Then I heard a crashing spill in the living room and turned to see him emptying his baggie full of alphabet numbers for his magnet toy (we keep them there to keep them together) and running to throw that baggie in the garbage!  Haha.  It made me laugh!  I love him!

This is a little glimpse of what I caught him doing at breakfast this morning...

He would eat his cereal...and then drink some milk...eat...drink...eat....drink!

 

 After his gulps...he would make his satisfied "ahhhh" sound! 

He's also been a jabber mouth lately.  Babbling away.  I am able to pick up some words here or there, but mostly it's still nonesense to me!  He's sure trying hard though!

Then we played our label the body parts game...an oldie but a goodie!

Teeth (a new favorite)

Nose

Eye

Ear

Mouth

Head and Hair!  It looks the same :)

 He is sooooooo interesting lately!  I love seeing what he's going to come up with each day!

When I put my sunglasses on in the car...he starts pointing at them and saying 'eyes eyes eyes' and pointing at himself until I give him his sunglasses...then he loves putting them on!

From Us to You

We hope your Valentine's Day was full of cuddles, canoodles, and kisses :)

Cousins

Are these boys growing fast or what?!  Can't believe how quickly time goes!

Jackson wasn't to keen on partaking in these photos!  Landon got one cuddle and that was about it! 

Moose & His Big Boy Room :)

It's official - Moose is now the new occupant of his new room!  I cried moving all his stuff over.  It's true...it was a hard move for ME!  

To make it worse, the first night we tried him in there, he played for a bit, laid down, and then sat up five minutes later crying...when we went and got him, he threw up...and when we put him down after that he cried - A LOT.  I thought it was the room.  I thought it was the change...the transition.  I thought I had ruined his life!  But, then I went in, cuddled and brought milk to his now-empty stomach...and he passed out within seconds of putting him down and didn't make a peep until he woke after 8 am.  This helped heal my heart.  In fact, he hasn't made any fuss or peep since then...and has slept well in his new room!  I find him sitting and reading in there often.  When we say 'lets change your bum', he goes into his new room and lays on the floor.  Yay for Moose!  I hope this continues to go well.  In the mean time, I am anxiously and impatiently awaiting his dresser as he loves playing with all the buttons on his music player...and it drives me bananas - as do the blue jeans and socks laying in the basket on the floor!  I hear by the end of the week!  Here's to hoping!  

On a side note, if any good sewers are reading this and feel the need to cut down that black out shade so it fits nicely behind the blinds...I would be forever indebted ;)

We moved over all his clothes (which involved A LOT of packing away of too small clothes - so sad!)

 

Everything was moved over that belonged to Moosey...Ginger, humidifier, music, blackout blind...even his old sheet - which I'll switch out in the next little while :)

On a side note...we are sadly missing Dada who is now working overtime for the next three shifts (if baby stays in long enough!).  He leaves Monday nights instead of Thursday afternoons...which means he is only home from Thursday afternoon to Monday night...not NEARLY long enough for us.  We are all sad.  It's hard to say goodbye.  I know Jackson will say 'Dada' when he wakes up tomorrow, and I hate that I have to tell him that Dada is at work already.  Hoping it goes quickly and well.  

Yesterday

Yesterday morning...bright and early at 8:30 am...our chair for Jackson's room arrived!

The later in the morning I found him in his room ;)

And then for lunch we had a frozen pizza that didn't taste like a frozen pizza at all.  It was surprisingly yummy!

 And really, nothing much more eventful than that happened!

Love!

I love that I get to have dinner with this face!  Man, he's such a ham!

As Promised...

As promised - here are some quick updated photos I ran down and took tonight!  

This area is awesome!  We can't wait to spend time down here!  Setting up the pack and play really made it feel real that Baby S is here soon!  It was also good for Moose!  He immediately went up to it after his nap and said 'Baby' and then put a toy in there!  He also turns on the music!  So very cute!  Trev ordered the TV and we will be on the look out for an entertainment stand.  It's all coming together.

This area is glorious!  I LOVE it.  Moose LOVES it!  Tonight we were running around playing soccer with a ball.  How great is that?!  So...soon, the toy shelf you see on the left will be just to the left of where the extra flooring boxes are.  Then in that corner, there will be a tent as you see below (have to order it from states and have parents bring it back in March!) and an art easel!  Eventually we will get a table set for the boys to play at!  Can't wait to see it all come together.

I fell in love with this before we even decided to do the basement!  I think Moose will love reading in it and I can't wait to see the boys play in it together...when they get older!  So cute and fun!  Don't you love the lights along the top?!

 Above, you see the studio.

Below you see the two rooms that we haven't touched much yet...the office/craft room and the bathroom!

 And Now...Moose's room!

I found this shelf totally unexpectedly at Benjamin Moore...I knew it was what we were looking for (and trust me, we looked EVERYWHERE...I would have never guessed Benjamin Moore!).

Then...

Now :)  I wanted it hanging low for Moose to grab books from the shelves.  We are still waiting for his personalized bean bag chair to arrive and I can't wait for it to complete this corner!  He will love sitting here to read!

Toy shelf...bed...Ginger!  We are just waiting for his stinkin' dresser to come in!  PLEASE OH PLEASE CALL SOON!!  It will go at an angle in the left corner there that you can't really see!

 More and More Jackson has been coming into his room to play!  I love it!  He helped move a lot of his books over...he knows Ginger is in there waiting to watch over him.  I hope this transition goes well!  The other day, we finally attempted his magnet set on his magnetic wall...and it was a success!  I was and am soooo excited!  The set is from Melissa and Doug...so now I'm on the prowl for magnet sets - which are super hard to find!  Their website have some great ones (cars, numbers, alphabets, chore chart!) I may just cave and order off of there instead of going through the trouble calling and going to every store in Edmonton!  Jackson really likes taking them out and putting them on his wall...and he's realy good at putting them away too! 

Seriously, how fun is this?!  Oh the possibilities!  And it cleans up and just looks like part of the paint design!  LOVE!

I'm really proud of how Jackson's room is coming together.  To think that a month ago I had NO IDEA what I wanted to do, seeing it now come together really makes me happy.  It was just one small idea that I ran with!  I hope he loves it in here as much as I have loved putting it together for him :)