This picture is of his second bath. I took pictures during his first bath, but he was peeing, so I didn't think those would be appropriate.
Monday, February 02, 2015
The Bathrooms: before's and after's
The powder room was finished a while ago. Just to jog your memory, here are the only two pictures I could find from before:
Nice, right? This was when we moved in and discovered that the toilet had been leaking for who knows how long. The pedestal sink had shell imprints on it, tarnished fixtures, and yellowed stickers from its purchase 20 years prior.
Here's an after. New paint, new toilet, changed the toilet paper holder and where it's located (it was in a weird spot before), added artwork.
New light fixture, towel holder, mirror, pedestal sink, and fixtures. SO much better than it was before!
The master bath, as I've complained, took a long and dusty time. But we're glad it's done, too. Here are some before's.
(We were trying to decide on flooring.) Brass everything, low vanities, a huge jetted tub that took up tons of space and we never used.
Off to the right in this picture is a "water closet" but it didn't have a door so it wasn't private anyway.
The toilet was bad and ran a lot.
The pic below is taken from inside the water closet. The shower door and the bathroom door would whack each other if they were open at the same time. The tile going around the top of the shower had leaves on it.
And it's hard to tell what this is, but it's a half planter shelf that went on one side of the bathroom. In the bottom left corner of the picture is the ceiling of the water closet. The right side of the picture is where the shelf went over the shower. We ripped all that out.
Here are some after's.
This first picture is a view from the doorway. We replaced everything.
We still need to get a linen cabinet and some artwork for over the tub area. As you can see, we ripped out the water closet and tore down the planter shelf. It's much more open in there now and feels a lot less cramped. Surprisingly, I've already used that tub about 10 times.
That's it! We plan on keeping all other house projects much less expensive this year!
Here's an after. New paint, new toilet, changed the toilet paper holder and where it's located (it was in a weird spot before), added artwork.
The master bath, as I've complained, took a long and dusty time. But we're glad it's done, too. Here are some before's.
The pic below is taken from inside the water closet. The shower door and the bathroom door would whack each other if they were open at the same time. The tile going around the top of the shower had leaves on it.
This first picture is a view from the doorway. We replaced everything.
2014 Resolution Recap
Here's what I wrote for my 2014 resolutions:
Read at least 30 books. (I would like 10 of these books to be biographies on the next 10 presidents - starting with Mr. Jefferson.)
Take a trip with Dan for our 10-year anniversary.
Run a half marathon.
Continue practicing the piano for 20 minutes, five times a week.
Complete AND PRINT blurb books for 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Teach Afton the alphabet and the first 20 numbers. That girl has no interest at all in it.
Participate in some kind of service project.
Well, I did read 30 books, but only FIVE were about presidents. I got stuck on Andrew Jackson and I just can't get through it. I've renewed it like 6 times...
Dan and I took a trip for our anniversary and it was awesome. I also ran a half marathon and completed and printed a blurb book for 2010, but not 2011 or 2012. Afton knows her letters, but she's still working on those numbers. And I did participate in a service project.
The piano, I'll admit, has fallen to the wayside. Especially now that there's a baby in the house...
So, that's like 50%. For some reason, though, I continue to enjoy setting goals, despite my ability to keep them. So, without further adieu, here are my goals for 2015:
Read at least 30 books. (And finish that dang Andrew Jackson!)
Run another half marathon. (Probably the Richmond Half in November.)
Complete and print blog books for 2011 and 2012.
Use the fabric that I have before buying any more (unless it's for a very specific project like curtains).
Write in my journal at least once a month.
Read the Book of Mormon cover to cover during the month of March. (I'll continue to read it all year, but I've never done the "March Madness" challenge and I think it would be good for me to do.
So there you have it. My personal goals for 2015.
And here's my book list from 2014 in case anyone is interested.
1. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel Brown.
2. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
3. The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler
4. Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
5. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
6. Thomas Jefferson by R.B. Berstein
7. James Madison by Ralph Ketcham
8. The Honest Life by Jessica Alba
9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
10. Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
11. Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
12. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
13. The Last Founding Father: James Monroe by Harlow Unger
14. About Alice by Calvin Trillin
15. Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Kinsley
16. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
17. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
18. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
19. Escape from the Deep: The Epic Story of a Legendary Submarine and Her Courageous Crew by Alex Kershaw
20. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
21. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
22. Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane
23. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
24. John Quincy Adams by Harlow Unger
25. Paper Towns by John Green
26. Dodger by Terry Pratchett
27. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
28. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie King
29. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
30. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
31. Night by Elie Wiesel
That's 16 nonfiction and 15 fiction. My favorites were The Boys in the Boat (which follows a crew team from the University of Washington during the 30's), and Wonder (about a middle school boy who has a physical deformity). Both really good reads and highly recommended.
Read at least 30 books. (I would like 10 of these books to be biographies on the next 10 presidents - starting with Mr. Jefferson.)
Take a trip with Dan for our 10-year anniversary.
Run a half marathon.
Continue practicing the piano for 20 minutes, five times a week.
Complete AND PRINT blurb books for 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Teach Afton the alphabet and the first 20 numbers. That girl has no interest at all in it.
Participate in some kind of service project.
Well, I did read 30 books, but only FIVE were about presidents. I got stuck on Andrew Jackson and I just can't get through it. I've renewed it like 6 times...
Dan and I took a trip for our anniversary and it was awesome. I also ran a half marathon and completed and printed a blurb book for 2010, but not 2011 or 2012. Afton knows her letters, but she's still working on those numbers. And I did participate in a service project.
The piano, I'll admit, has fallen to the wayside. Especially now that there's a baby in the house...
So, that's like 50%. For some reason, though, I continue to enjoy setting goals, despite my ability to keep them. So, without further adieu, here are my goals for 2015:
Read at least 30 books. (And finish that dang Andrew Jackson!)
Run another half marathon. (Probably the Richmond Half in November.)
Complete and print blog books for 2011 and 2012.
Use the fabric that I have before buying any more (unless it's for a very specific project like curtains).
Write in my journal at least once a month.
Read the Book of Mormon cover to cover during the month of March. (I'll continue to read it all year, but I've never done the "March Madness" challenge and I think it would be good for me to do.
So there you have it. My personal goals for 2015.
And here's my book list from 2014 in case anyone is interested.
1. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel Brown.
2. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
3. The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler
4. Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
5. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
6. Thomas Jefferson by R.B. Berstein
7. James Madison by Ralph Ketcham
8. The Honest Life by Jessica Alba
9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
10. Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
11. Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
12. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
13. The Last Founding Father: James Monroe by Harlow Unger
14. About Alice by Calvin Trillin
15. Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Kinsley
16. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
17. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
18. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
19. Escape from the Deep: The Epic Story of a Legendary Submarine and Her Courageous Crew by Alex Kershaw
20. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
21. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
22. Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane
23. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
24. John Quincy Adams by Harlow Unger
25. Paper Towns by John Green
26. Dodger by Terry Pratchett
27. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
28. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie King
29. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
30. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
31. Night by Elie Wiesel
That's 16 nonfiction and 15 fiction. My favorites were The Boys in the Boat (which follows a crew team from the University of Washington during the 30's), and Wonder (about a middle school boy who has a physical deformity). Both really good reads and highly recommended.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
The days after
We brought Eli home on Saturday. We took it pretty easy that day. I would like to mention that the day Eli was born, Afton hit her chin somehow at home and it looked pretty bad. The next day, Sam was running around on the playground and supposedly ran into a brick wall with his chin. It was so sick looking. Here's a picture.
Afton's got better right away but Sam's is just now starting to fade.
It turned a dark purple color. It looked like he had a purple goatee.
My dad came over on Sunday to celebrate my mom's birthday (which was on Monday). He baked a delicious cake and my mom made her own birthday dinner.
Dad was a sneak and bought trick candles.
Sam thought it was hilarious.
So glad we got to celebrate with her.
Dad had to go back to Charlottesville that night, but Mom stuck around until Tuesday afternoon. Monday was probably the worst day with Eli. He cried a bunch, I was sore, I cried a bunch, I got the chills something fierce and put on a coat and snow hat and socks and slippers but was still cold. We cranked up the heat and that helped. Then I woke up sweating like crazy. It was weird. I felt bad that it was my mom's birthday and I was a wreck.
Tuesday we wanted to get out and get a little exercise so we ventured out for a jaunt around the mall with all the old people. We took it easy but it felt great to be out. Like I said before, Mom left on Tuesday. She was so helpful and I really appreciate all she did for us!
Dan worked from home the rest of the week and that was great, too. He took Sam to school and picked him up. He played with the two older kids a lot so that I could focus on Eli and take a few naps. Sweet friends from church keep bringing delicious meals which is a huge help, too.
Yesterday was my first day flyin' solo. I think a lot of prayers were said on my behalf because Eli was an absolute angel yesterday! I got Sam to school and picked him up on time. I ran a few errands and we went on a walk. Today I think I'm going to take it a little easy.
Also, Sam decided to write some new year's resolutions and I think they're really cute so I took a picture.
Love that kid. Love ALL my kids! I have three kids! That is crazy.
My dad came over on Sunday to celebrate my mom's birthday (which was on Monday). He baked a delicious cake and my mom made her own birthday dinner.
Dad had to go back to Charlottesville that night, but Mom stuck around until Tuesday afternoon. Monday was probably the worst day with Eli. He cried a bunch, I was sore, I cried a bunch, I got the chills something fierce and put on a coat and snow hat and socks and slippers but was still cold. We cranked up the heat and that helped. Then I woke up sweating like crazy. It was weird. I felt bad that it was my mom's birthday and I was a wreck.
Tuesday we wanted to get out and get a little exercise so we ventured out for a jaunt around the mall with all the old people. We took it easy but it felt great to be out. Like I said before, Mom left on Tuesday. She was so helpful and I really appreciate all she did for us!
Dan worked from home the rest of the week and that was great, too. He took Sam to school and picked him up. He played with the two older kids a lot so that I could focus on Eli and take a few naps. Sweet friends from church keep bringing delicious meals which is a huge help, too.
Yesterday was my first day flyin' solo. I think a lot of prayers were said on my behalf because Eli was an absolute angel yesterday! I got Sam to school and picked him up on time. I ran a few errands and we went on a walk. Today I think I'm going to take it a little easy.
Also, Sam decided to write some new year's resolutions and I think they're really cute so I took a picture.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Eli's birth story
A few weeks before Christmas, I went to my OB and she told me that she wouldn't be surprised if I had the baby before Christmas. Which put me in a panic. I gift-wrapped, I sewed, I cooked, I cleaned, I packed the hospital bag, and then we waited. Christmas came and went. (Thankfully.) My due date came and went. I saw my doctor (who had been away over the holidays) again on January 6, the day after my due date. She said she was "shocked" to see me still pregnant. Apparently all of her patients that she thought would give birth while she was gone were still pregnant. She had sent two over to the hospital the day I saw her, and had scheduled one already to head over the following day. She was in a scheduling mood.
I was attempting a VBAC, but because I'd had a c-section before she didn't feel comfortable inducing me with drugs. We decided that if I didn't go into labor on my own before Thursday, January 8, I would head over to the hospital, she would break my water, and we'd see how it went from there.
I called my mom and she came over that day. She is the best! Nothing happened Tuesday night or Wednesday, so Mom and I did some grocery shopping and went through a normal daily routine.
Wednesday night I started contracting a bit more regularly (I'd been having contractions off and on for a few weeks but nothing consistent). The contractions started to get stronger and more regular as the night and morning went on. We (Dan and I) got up at 5:45 and got ready. (Thursday was the coldest it's been in a long time. It was 12 degrees when we left for the hospital.) We got to the hospital and they put us in a room around 7:15. (Charmed was on the TV in the waiting room. What a terrible show.) That's when things started picking up. My contractions were about 10 minutes apart at this point and I was dilated between 5-6.
My doctor came over at 8 and broke my water. Things got way more intense from there and I asked for the anesthesiologist. She came around 9 to give me the epidural. I have a ticklish back and she kept telling me to take a chill pill. I couldn't help but spaz out every time she touched my back. The epidural worked in all but one area where the pain was still really intense. Dan held my hand through every contraction and reminded me to breathe. He was very sweet. I don't think I've said the word "crap" so much in my entire life. It hurt really bad. They had me change from lying on one side to the other and eventually I couldn't feel it anymore.
By 10, the nurse checked me and I was fully dilated and ready to push. We were all pretty surprised it had gone so fast. She called the doctor and prepped the room. My doc was there by 10:30 and I started pushing. Dan got a little queasy for a few minutes but recovered quickly and our baby was born at 10:50. He must have been plugging up a bunch of the water because apparently after he came out, a huge gush of water splashed all over the doctor and all over the floor. TMI, I know, but I want to remember this stuff.
They placed the baby on my chest right away and I got to hold him for about an hour. I cried, of course. He was beautiful and had so much dark hair! Eventually they took him away to weigh him and we were all surprised that he was so big - 9 pounds, 4 ounces. Because he was so big, they were initially worried about his blood sugar levels, so the nurse cut off more of his umbilical cord and got him down to 9 lbs, 3 oz, so that we wouldn't have to do heel pricks on him every few hours for the two days in the hospital.
It took until about 4pm before I could feel my legs. Dan went home to get Mom and the kids after dinner. They loved meeting their brother, but quickly became distracted by other things in the room, such as the couch that turned into a bed for Dan to sleep on, the buttons on my bed, and running around.
The first of many awkward pictures to come of our three kids!
My awesome mom.
We were all pretty exhausted by this point and the severe hospital lighting doesn't help matters, but here's our family of five.
That night the baby just screamed and cried. It was a long night. We have been out of the newborn stage for a while, so we have forgotten how tiring it all can be.
Friday my mom and Afton came back for a visit during the day. (We still didn't have a name at this point.)
I just couldn't believe how much dark hair he had and how chubby he was.
See what I mean?
Mom and kids came back for another visit Friday night. By that point we had decided on his name: Eli Urban Durst. Eli just because we like it and think it's a nice manly name. Urban after my Grandpa Cheney, who was a really amazing man. We shared the news with our visitors and I think my mom cried.
Saturday we sat around a lot and waited to be discharged. Dan went home for a bit in the morning to go for a run and have breakfast. I did some laps around the maternity ward. Finally we got the go-ahead and we headed back home.
We've seen this face a lot the past few days.
Excited about their brother.
We are so grateful that Eli has joined our family. For the most part, he's been really good, but there have been some rocky days in there, too. I'll write more about that later, but just wanted to get down his birth story before more of the details slip my mind. We love our little Eli so much and are so glad he's here!
I was attempting a VBAC, but because I'd had a c-section before she didn't feel comfortable inducing me with drugs. We decided that if I didn't go into labor on my own before Thursday, January 8, I would head over to the hospital, she would break my water, and we'd see how it went from there.
I called my mom and she came over that day. She is the best! Nothing happened Tuesday night or Wednesday, so Mom and I did some grocery shopping and went through a normal daily routine.
Wednesday night I started contracting a bit more regularly (I'd been having contractions off and on for a few weeks but nothing consistent). The contractions started to get stronger and more regular as the night and morning went on. We (Dan and I) got up at 5:45 and got ready. (Thursday was the coldest it's been in a long time. It was 12 degrees when we left for the hospital.) We got to the hospital and they put us in a room around 7:15. (Charmed was on the TV in the waiting room. What a terrible show.) That's when things started picking up. My contractions were about 10 minutes apart at this point and I was dilated between 5-6.
My doctor came over at 8 and broke my water. Things got way more intense from there and I asked for the anesthesiologist. She came around 9 to give me the epidural. I have a ticklish back and she kept telling me to take a chill pill. I couldn't help but spaz out every time she touched my back. The epidural worked in all but one area where the pain was still really intense. Dan held my hand through every contraction and reminded me to breathe. He was very sweet. I don't think I've said the word "crap" so much in my entire life. It hurt really bad. They had me change from lying on one side to the other and eventually I couldn't feel it anymore.
By 10, the nurse checked me and I was fully dilated and ready to push. We were all pretty surprised it had gone so fast. She called the doctor and prepped the room. My doc was there by 10:30 and I started pushing. Dan got a little queasy for a few minutes but recovered quickly and our baby was born at 10:50. He must have been plugging up a bunch of the water because apparently after he came out, a huge gush of water splashed all over the doctor and all over the floor. TMI, I know, but I want to remember this stuff.
They placed the baby on my chest right away and I got to hold him for about an hour. I cried, of course. He was beautiful and had so much dark hair! Eventually they took him away to weigh him and we were all surprised that he was so big - 9 pounds, 4 ounces. Because he was so big, they were initially worried about his blood sugar levels, so the nurse cut off more of his umbilical cord and got him down to 9 lbs, 3 oz, so that we wouldn't have to do heel pricks on him every few hours for the two days in the hospital.
All cleaned up.
We were all pretty exhausted by this point and the severe hospital lighting doesn't help matters, but here's our family of five.
Friday my mom and Afton came back for a visit during the day. (We still didn't have a name at this point.)
Saturday we sat around a lot and waited to be discharged. Dan went home for a bit in the morning to go for a run and have breakfast. I did some laps around the maternity ward. Finally we got the go-ahead and we headed back home.
We've seen this face a lot the past few days.
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