400

This is my 400th post...I feel like there needs to be a celebration of some kind. What better way to celebrate than announcing the birth of baby boy #2 Lane Michael!!! So here we go...

Oh...did you get really excited with that? Yeah I would be really excited too if that were true instead he is still cooking away. Head is down (dr could feel his head when I got checked last week) yet I can still feel his feet in the top of my rib cage so he must be pretty long. At my appt on 11/6 the Dr said "with any luck baby next week", but here we are 2wks later and still no baby Lane is here.

So, in the last couple weeks we have done the following:

Created a wall gallery:

we spent all of $6 to make this happen, how did we manage that? Well, we had a closet full of frames from our other house. The items that were purchased were the small yellow mirror and the "Z" and the scrapbook paper that I applied to it.  Ok and a can of yellow spray paint but we used that in Lane's room as well.

yrs.

Did you also notice the chairs that are below the wall gallery??  Those are "new" too!!  I say "new" because those are new to use thanks to craigslist.  Brand new those chairs are $99 each at Ikea they are practically brand new despite the previous owners owning them for 6-8yrs. We paid $65 for both and we are contemplating slip cover colors. 

 

Next up we replaced our couch:

 

Here is the before:

 

 Here is the after:

 

 And here is the before and after together:

So, this couch also from Ikea originally and $399 brand new with no slip cover a white slip cover is $59 brand new, we scored the couch and 2 sets of white slip covers for $100. The couch is 2yrs old and comes with a 10yr warranty.  The one set of slip covers had some stains so after some searching and a recent trip to Ikea we did some googling and decided to dye the cover grey. Round 1: didn't go so well, learned the hard way that a top load washer is needed to dye fabric. Round 2: landed Ian and I at my in laws where we used their top load washer. We also had to switch from pearl grey to black which surprisingly turned out to dark grey which is exactly what we wanted and were settling with the black.  So here's what it took: 2 bottle of RIT dye for the base cover set on large load cycle, 1 bottle per 3 sets of cushions set on medium load cycle so a total of 4 bottles. Here's what I did the instructions are the same for all 3 loads:

1) place load in washer and run it threw the rinse and spin cycle (assuming the covers have already been washed, if they are brand new then wash first)

2) pull the cover(s) out and start the washer on large load, let it full with water and dump your bottles of dye into the water add 1tbsp of laundry detergent and 1 cup of salt per bottle of dye (pray and try not to pee your pants out of nervousness as you watch a perfectly white washer turn black).

3) once washer is half full put your cover(s), pray some more

4) close your washer and set a timer for about 8min, you want to reset the washer as the water starts to drain from the wash tub you, you will repeat the resetting 2x resulting in a total of about 30min

5) now, you are going to wash it with regular laundry detergent

6) we put ours in the dryer or you can line dry.

7) put it on the couch, sit and enjoy!!!

 

do you see a problem in this picture??? Well, folks I do and so does Marcus (who is color blind and guy) so that says A LOT!!! We had to remedy this problem ASAP!!!

 

 

A craigslist search led us to this chair:

 

 

It's again originally from Ikea it's the called the Poang chair and it has a sheepskin cover, this retails for about $180. We paid $15...did you read that right? Yep I said $15!!!

 

So grand total we spent:

wall gallery: $6

chairs: +$65

Couch w/dye: +$130

Poang chair: +$15

sold old couch: -$75

GRAND TOTAL: $141

 

Now, we aren't done yet we are still on the hunt for a ottoman I'm thinking large black ottoman with storage, a throw, new slipcovers for the pillows, footstool for the poang chair, new covers for the chairs (possibly), and new curtains (possibly) haven't convinced a certain someone on those yet. No matter we have come a long way since our mod-podge of furniture. We moved the chair (plaid one) into Lane's room and the Lazy Boy will be sent to the basement (where all lazy boy's belong).

I absolutely love our living room and I'm no longer ashamed to have people over (they just can't go past the living room until the tile in the kitchen has been replaced).

Next post will probably be Lane's room and hopefully his arrival, fingers crossed!!!

kitchen phase 5000

Ok so really it's not phase 5000 but it seriously feels like it. A couple weeks ago, Marcus ripped out all the drywall and replaced it. We then made our first major purchase in our kitchen upgrade which was a new countertop.

 Next up is the trim around the doorway and window, new floors and possibly a build out on the side of the ovens (depending on how my 1 man construction crew is feeling and our budget). For now loving the new countertop and couldn't be happier with the color choice.

35wks

Well here we are 5wks or less away from Lane's entrance into this crazy world.  I'm ready to see the feet that have been kicking me, to the see the mouth that the constant hiccups have been coming from. And to be totally honest and selfish I'm ready to have my body back, my wardrobe back, and anxious to see what our new routine will be like.

to be young...

**this post is late as usual but it's been posted.

3wks post broken humerus  Ian is sling/immobilizer free and back to being a lefty.  Beyond grateful for his resilience, may he always be resilient when it comes to life happenings.

Back to being a lefty again...

adventure

This past weekend we loaded up our vehicle and headed south for Shades State Park located about 4hrs south of us. We went camping, and by camping I mean in a tent, sleeping on the ground with raccoons right outside of it.  We went on several hikes which Ian went on every single one too. Which was surprising after our day 1 hike which after looking at the description while we were on it, it read moderately rugged, he over all did a fantastic job with only a few tears of tiredness and Marcus carried him.

who can blow up the air mattress' 1st? Grant won!

 



playground, hiking and a beautiful view

 

camp ground life: pay phones, random bad for you food, s'mores, fires and tent sleeping



helping and hand some resting

Got some good one liners of out Ian while hiking: Me: do you need my hand while going down the stairs? Ian: no, thanks I can handle my hand.  Me: more stairs Ian: how many times have we done these stairs?



little boy on a big hike

more adventures and map looking over (this is never a good sign)

 

Camping was a success, Ian wants to do it again!!

 

Another round of firsts

First visit to Med-Point

First time getting X-rays alone (since I'm pregnant I couldn't be in the room with him)

 First broken bone

 Lessons learned:

No matter how close you are or watching their every move accidents will happen and you have no real control over it.

Children are super resilient, it's truly amazing to watch.  He had moments in which he has asked how much longer he has to wear the sling/arm keeper downer contraption but overall his spirit has not been fractured. I would like to wrap him in bubble wrap until he's completely healed.  We are enforcing riding in the cart when out at stores as his tendency to trip is still high and with only one hand/arm to catch himself with is a recipe for injury.  He has no desire to simply sit he is as a toddler should be constantly moving and we find ourselves constantly saying "take care", "that's probably not the best idea", etc.

 

He was sentenced to 3wks in the sling/arm keeper downer contraption pending x-rays. and 1wk in the sling more as visual to other kiddos to be careful around him again all pending x-rays. He is going to South Bend Orthopedics and seeing the upper arm bone specialist there (because they seriously all practice very particular areas).  And to think he was on track to not meeting his deductible for this yr, oh well that's why we have insurance for accidents like these.

 

 

Promise

I promise I do have posts in the editing phase they have been written they just need pictures!! Here's what you have to look forward too Ian's first tent camping adventure and our first adventure camping with a little person. Honestly when the child is as good as Ian is its a walk in the park! And the one time Ian broke his arm. So stay tuned and the minute I'm not spinning in circles from my pregnancy remembering to do random things at random times and remembering where the things are that I need I will get those up.  Seriously tonight I spin in about 5 circles in a matter of seconds as I was making dinner and my brain was trying to remember where the items are that I need to make said dinner. It's sad really but it's my reality. So here's to 9wks or less (always shooting for less) till Baby Lane arrives and our lives change forever! And that there folks is a little insight into my brain...