End of an Era

I was just on Facebook and learned about the upcoming closing of Studio 28. While I have contributed to their decline by going to the movies at Rivertown Crossings Mall for the past several years, it is still sad to see it close. In high school my friends and I spent at least some time there almost every weekend, and thanks to several of my buddies who were employed there, I got to see many sneak peaks at midnight. I remember seeing The Little Mermaid there as a child, and also when the Ghostbusters car was parked outside. My friends and I participated in the "lottery" for line placement to buy tickets for Star Wars: Episode 1 in 1999 - 12 of us got to sit together in row "E" at the 12:01 AM showing in Theater 1! I'm such a dork. Well, my friend dressed up as Darth Maul... I wasn't that crazy!

My first date movie was there ("One Fine Day" with George Clooney and Michelle Pfieffer, yikes! I'm sure it tanked) - it was awful, and of course entirely awkward being on this group "date" with the guy I ended up dating for almost 3 years! My friend Juan had all the high scores on the Star Wars game, and it was really quite something to watch him play - he drew a crowd! I can still see all of us, our little revolving clique, wearing our maroon varsity jackets, walking through the lobby. Now that I look back, it all seems pretty juvenile, but we were good kids and those are good memories. I still think back on them when I drive past the theater.

I read the mLive article and now that I've learned a little more about the history and significance of Studio 28, it's quite a bummer they have to close their doors later this month.

Time Out

Normally I am a red wine person, but pinot grigio is light enough it won't give me a pounding headache like, say, chardonnay, which I just will not drink. Kelly, I think you'll agree. Anyway, we (I) received this bottle of wine from my sister-in-law. She has 3-year-old twin boys, and also enjoys the occasional adult beverage once the kids are in bed for the night (understandable, I'd say!). Although it's for "Mommy", Ron shared it with me while we watched our favorite Thursday night TV shows, because drinking an entire bottle of wine is not conducive to getting up in the middle of the night.

I am a Motorcycle

I have to admit I am very surprised about my result. I answered the questions honestly... I would not think I am in this good of shape, especially since the last time I ran my 8 miles at one time was when I was 15... Then again I do not have any health problems, and believe that my pain tolerance is very high when I think back to my labor with Lucy. I am physically challenged by my kids every day (and I can see a difference in my muscle tone, especially in my arms), don't smoke, I do eat breakfast daily - which I never used to until having kids... I think that I'd most like to improve my cardiovascular health, which I honestly think is my weakest area (and probably a very important thing to work on).44 miles per gallon

Created by The Car Connection

Young Lady

Growing out Lucy's bangs. I think she looks older, but I really like it. Plus it'll be a lot easier than fighting the circular cowlick in the middle of her forehead.

The Wait is Over!

And now for the much anticipated before-and-after shots of our house. Here's the house before we moved in - overgrown landscaping (we still need to do work in that department), trees to the side taking over the place... and of course the old roof too.
Fewer trees on the side (opposite of the garage), and new roof and siding are done! Garage door painted too. I still have to paint the off-white storm door white. When we had our trees taken out, we took out some large piney shrubs in front too. We plan on basically starting with a clean slate on the landscaping next spring.
Here is the side of the house - the bumped out part is part of the garage . The bay window is our dining room. This part of the house is seen in a photo I posted a few days ago (where you can see the back part done, and the side not done)...Here we have also hacked back some major shrubbery. I'm sure it made the siding guys' job easier..
We've gotten compliments on our wood siding before - but we're always wondering if people were just being nice. I know it has character, but it also has dirt, mold, rot, and multiple shades of gray, black and green were not the kind of character we were going for...Here's a similar view of that part of the roof / inside wall of the garage. All clean and neat. Also the enormous burning bush that covered half of that window is gone.
Check this out (yikes!):Ron redid this porch before the siding was started, but I had to include the "before" photo of it just so you can see what kind of condition this place was in... Here it is with all new boards (it's just a bit dirty from the siding guys' dirty boots). And there's Lucy just up from a nap, yes with a pacifier in her mouth. Front door used to be burgundy, and is now a dark chocolate brown.Okay I think you get the idea! So, what do you think? Like it better now or the way it used to be? ;-) More photos in a gallery here.

Still Waiting For Those Pics?

Well, the siding has been coming along, and is pretty much almost totally done... except for a small section that won't take long at all to finish, as long as the weather is okay. In which case, they'll be done tomorrow. Otherwise it'll be Thursday. Then they will haul away all their scraps, trailer, ladders, and whatnot, and I can take an "after" photo. The house is looking great, but it's getting really old having this crew around all day long. Today the were right outside our big dining room window... like, "hey how's it going in there?!"

Today Lucy did manage to fall asleep for an extra-long nap, despite all the hammering (and if you listen closely, the cursing). She was pretty tired from a late night at Grandma and Grandpa Denning's on Monday. I was grateful for the break, because it allowed me to take care of some photography stuff that I wanted to do today - I got a fairly large order placed and can't wait until the photos come, hopefully by the end of the week! I'm going to save some of that money to go toward my new website template / hosting. In the meantime I hope to continue taking photos and building up my portfolio even more (but I hope to have the site up within the next month or two).

So far it's been going better than I had expected, and there are even more people who want me to take photos for them. Each time out I am a little more relaxed. I put so much pressure on myself worrying that I'm not going to get enough good photos, and I lay awake the night before going through ideas in my mind (when really there's only so much you can "plan", ya know?). It's supposed to be fun for all involved, and it's getting more so that it is, and that I look forward to my next session, instead of fretting about whether or not it will go well! I guess that's the confidence issue working itself out. I just finished Katie's ;)... her kids were great - and it was fun seeing them and spending time with them in person, since I've basically watched them grow up on her blog for almost the past 2 years! Now the fall weather has pretty much passed, and I'm wondering what locations will work for any more sessions I do. My friend, a high school teacher, wants to do some out in the snow with her little girl. That should be pretty fun, and it actually makes me hope for some good snow soon! After our siding is done, of course...

Siding Progress

So, the front of the house is done (but the fascia isn't) and they are working on the side by the road. It should be finished in the next couple of days! I went across the street to the neighbors' on Saturday and looked back at our house, it looks so different! It will also be nice when the hammering stops....

View of Back and Side Corner

Here you can really see what a change we (er... they) are making to our house! I love it, but it is really weird to see our home this way. I remember when I first saw this house listed on the MLS. I actually sort of liked the wood siding, but that was when I didn't know how damaged it was. In person, it was evident that we needed to redo the exterior eventually. It's cool that we're actually seeing that become a reality now! The entire back of the house (including fascia and soffits) is completed - other than the deck which has now been mutilated beyond recognition. We plan on redoing it in the spring, but retaining the main structural joists and posts. So, several deck boards have been sawed by the house, "railings" have been removed in sections, and it wasn't even in great shape before all this started. I digress...The back of the house is done, one side of the house is done (the other end, which I posted a photo of a couple days ago), and one side of the garage - which kind of sticks out so it has two "sides". The most tedious stuff is the wrapping, trim work, j-channels, basically everything but the siding. I'm hoping they make some more major progress today. Right now they are working on the front. The bay window you see here is going to take a little extra time, but it's going to look so nice when it's all done and their gear is cleared away. It's a bit cooler today, but it looks like it's going to stay dry.

Last night I put another coat of white paint on our off-white garage door. I went out again this morning and there are still some spots that could use touching up but if I don't get to it until next spring, no one will ever notice. I'm just a little nit-picky. From the road it looks good. There are also some special trim pieces (not vinyl) on various parts of the house that are primed, but should be painted. I got some of them last night but not all of them. I'll probably go for it even if it's below 60 degrees. The storm door on the front is also off-white and I'll get that painted white by the end of the weekend. I painted the main door a dark brown (it was burgundy). I think it looks pretty nice with the green siding and white trim. If I get sick of it someday, it's just a door and only takes a small amount of paint. I'll post more photos soon!

Crazy Alphabet Song

Our daughter is funny, and little crazy... but we think pretty smart!



She gets a little sloppy around the middle of the alphabet (who doesn't though, right?), where usually she does a little better. Perhaps her piano playing is hindering her concentration.

You Do What Works

Lucy has Pink Bear (clever name) which she received as a gift when she was a newborn. Soon after she was born, we discovered the covering her eyes helped her to fall asleep. She got a bit older and started doing it herself, but actually covering her whole face! After she fell asleep I'd usually go in there and make sure her nose and mouth were exposed and she wasn't suffocating... To this day she still likes to put it on her face, or pretend with her dolls and other stuffed animals by draping it on their heads too. Or mine, or Ron's...

So before Henry was born my mom picked up a similar bear/blankie thing (one for a boy, one for a girl) and today when Henry wouldn't fall asleep (he likes to be held, and needs to also learn to fall asleep without being in my arms) I placed his bear across his eyes... Bingo!

Hi Mom!

Today I put him on his tummy and walked to the kitchen for a second. I looked back and saw this:He could not do this yesterday! He could only pick his head off the ground a few inches at best, and only for a couple seconds. He was sitting like this for quite a while, until he got tired. So, this was literally the first time he held his chest off the ground and looked straight ahead - and I was able to grab the camera and get a photo! He looks just as surprised as I was...

Siding Going On

This isn't even going to look like the same house... But here's some of what is done so far. In other areas of the house, guys are working on the soffits and wrapping things, etc. But this gives a nice view of what the old siding looks like and the new stuff. It is also a nice ad for Standale Lumber.

Photo Stuff...

I see it's been a while. We've been a little busy with getting some things done around the house before the siding goes on. By "we" I mean Ron, which leads to "me" being extra busy with the kids in the evening. However, the siding will commence today, later this morning when they get here (the head honcho called and said they were voting first so they could avoid some long lines... although they are still in long lines...) and they'd be here about an hour later than expected. I said that's no problem because I think it's more important that they get to vote than get here at 8:30 AM! I think it is going to take them a few days to do the siding (although they did the roof in 1 day!) because of the wrapping and j-channels and all those little details that have to go on before the actual siding does.

I'm also planning on going to vote today, of course! I just don't want to bring the kids. I think someone will be able to come over and watch them while I go. Hopefully if I go before 3 PM it won't take too long.

Halloween was a good time - Lucy went trick-or-treating but was, not surprisingly, a little shy at the doors of strangers. We were out for a little under an hour, just going around our cul-de-sac and that was plenty! She got to eat some candy and play with some new toys.
I finally finished editing the photos from that shoot last week. I ended up with many that I think are great, and the mom (a teacher at GHS) is very excited because her son's school photo was pretty bad, she says. I will post one, but you can look at all the pictures here. I had it password protected but now I have watermarks on all the photos, so I'm not worried about the handful of people who read my blog checking them out.
I may have also mentioned one of Ron's students designing a logo for me. She did it in three different colors (the oval part) and here is the main one. I like how it turned out, as I did not have any expectations. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed that this was done by a high-school student! She also made the image that I use for a "watermark" (which Ron thought was funny since it's done digitally these days...). Pretty nice, huh?

Happy Halloween!

Here's our little butterfly... Going trick-or-treating tonight for the first time! How great is this weather for all the kids!? Hope everyone has a fun Halloween!

First Paid Session!

I just did a photo session with a family we know - the mom is a Spanish teacher at Grandville HS, where Ron works. She's talked for a while about me taking photos of her kids / family, and Wednesday I e-mailed her with a last-minute proposition to do it, since it was going to be such a nice day Thursday. She wrote back and said yes, so we met at Spring Grove Park (which as it turns out is quite the mecca for photographers). We were only there for a little over an hour and I got plenty of great photos of her kids, and couple decent ones of the whole family (much more challenging). I learned a lot in that hour, too! They have a 2 and a half year old son, and a 9 month old daughter. The kids were great about playing, smiling, and being themselves! I have started going through some of their photos, and I am really happy with how many of them turned out.

The other cool thing - this is the first time I got paid for a photo session. I got a nice little session fee when we were done, and they will also be paying me for prints. In case you didn't already know, I am trying to get a little photography "business" off the ground, although I definitely do not want to rush into it. I would rather build up my confidence, and continue accumulating better and better equipment, before I get in over my head. In the meantime though, I can do some sessions for relatively cheap and still make a bit of money while I get practice. So... right now I am in the portfolio and skills building stage, and I still have much to learn. I do feel that this is something I have a bit of natural talent for, and think that over time I could become a very good photographer. At least, I love it so much that I am willing to work hard toward that goal. It feels good to have a goal, as well as the artistic outlet.

I will probably post a photo or two on this blog next week, but in the near future I will have a separate blog for photography stuff, as well as a Flash site. Ron has a graphic design student creating a logo for me, and I checked out her first drafts and love it! I also want to show the photos (after I edit them) to the family before anyone else. For now, I was just excited that I took this first step, and I think it went fairly well!

Going Green

Our siding guy just called and I'm too excited: they are going to start on our house next week sometime. I confirmed the color ("cactus", which is a sagey green, not too bold, and white trim) and he will order materials. So, in the sense of the exterior color, we are going "green"... although I am sure all our home improvements are really helping the energy efficiency of our house as well. The most recent being the basement door to our backyard. It had a jamb that was all rotted and the door did not seal well, so it was drafty. The jamb needed to be replaced before siding goes on, but the door itself is just fine. We got a fair amount moisture and spiders in our basement because of this. Well, Ron fixed it up. The door seals tight, the threshold is metal now (not wood), the exterior drainage is better, and so forth. There are a few other little things that Ron will have to get done by the end of this coming weekend... but it shouldn't be too hard. It is very motivating when you know that a week from now our house will be looking completely different!

Tradition

I had to give this post a title, and I almost choked on the word "tradition" because it's so cheesy! I spent too much time trying to think of something else, but there really is no way around it... that's what this is about...
Today I stopped over at my grandparents' house with the kids, so Lucy could contribute some artwork to the slider mural... which is a Halloween tradition that goes back for about 25 years. I didn't paint anything, and there is still some unpainted areas that will be taken care of by my cousins throughout the rest of the week. My grandma paints most of the outlines and the kids fill them in. When I was younger I looked forward to helping out. For a while, painting the haunted house was kind of a special honor. This year it was done by my cousin's girlfriend... my how times have changed! Maybe just because there are so many more of us! Whatever, she did a good job. It's blue and purple. I like it. Grandma always gets really into holidays and makes them so special, and it's cool to see my own children getting to experience the same things.

Check out some of these oldies with the very same slider, at my grandparents' house in Grandville, where my mom grew up.

We always did the trick-or-treating in their neighborhood because Kelly and I grew up in the "country" (read: Walker) and there were very few people home handing out candy on Halloween...that is, if you were willing to walk long distances down a curvy road in the woods, and walk up the long driveways to houses that were most likely empty at the time. My parents set out a basket of full-sized Snickers bars and almost every year they would come home and the basket would still be full. Now I live in the 'burbs and we will be able to take our kids trick-or-treating around our own neighborhood, which we plan on doing with Lucy this year. We'll still stop by my grandparents' earlier in the afternoon though, because it's tradition (and there's barbecue). If you are familiar with this family... you'll get the tradition joke (as in, "Take some gum... it's tradition."). They're big on tradition... but then again it is nice that they take such joy in these things, even if it goes a little overboard sometimes.

And, I suppose we may be guilty of it too, as new parents. We think about little traditions we could start, blueberry picking, Pronto Pups in the summer, Post Farms in the fall, whatever the case may be. Also the ones we remember that we want to continue. I still feel the need to listen to the Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers "Once Upon a Christmas" album when decorating Christmas cookies... I guess the whole idea is to hopefully see that activity carry on throughout as many years as possible. If it's a good one, and the kids grow up with it, they might just pass it on to the next generation, because it brings back such good memories. So in that respect I guess my grandparents have gotten it right.

Migraine Minus the Pain

Several minutes ago I started noticing something strange in the vision in my right eye. Toward the outer edge there was a semi-circular/crescent shaped area of zig-zaggy and wavy lights. I closed my eyes and it was still there. It seemed strange because I had just eaten (since I know that not eating enough can sometimes cause wavy lines in your periphery), and I hadn't knocked myself in the side of the head recently... I thought I'd check it out online, by Googling my symptoms.

The Internet did not let me down! When I described what was going on as specifically as I could, I found that I was having a visual migraine (AKA optical migraine, AKA ocular migraine). It is technically a migraine, although I do not have migraine problems. It is actually most often not accompanied by a headache. This site describes this in fairly simple terms. I had never experienced this before, but learned that it can be brought on by fatigue, stress, and changes in estrogen levels. I think I fit the bill for those things. As I'm writing this, it is already starting to go away (they can last 20 min. to an hour on average). Anyone else experience this before?

We Tried

This afternoon we went to Hager Park in Jenison for some wandering around and picture-taking. The main goal was what you see above. This is a decent family photo, considering it involved pressing the 10 second shutter timer, running back and getting posed, trying to dupe Lucy into looking toward the camera (or at the very least, not running off in a blur)... she can be looking at anything as long as she looks happy-ish. Anyway, it's obvious (with a 2 year old, that is) when the photo session is over. By the time Lucy was no longer having any fun with this, we had taken a handful of photos with hopes of at least a couple turning out. As we hoped... about a couple turned out. Better than nothing! I have others, and color versions, etc. I imagine it would be much easier to take photos of someone else's family... being able to take more (no timer) and watch for the right moment - even a candid one where not everyone is looking at the camera. It was a nice day that didn't require hats and mittens, so I figured we'd make our best attempt while we still could! Snow in the forecast for Monday!

What's New Here

Again it's been a little while since I posted anything new. Now I'm one of those people making a post about not posting. I'll try to write something of substance. I probably won't succeed.

Ron has recently gone on "strike" as a fan of the Lions. He has been a devoted fan, watching them lose every Sunday for the past several years. He held out hope at the beginning of each season, even trying to convince me that "this is the year they can actually turn it around." Well, until that actually happens, he is no longer following Detroit football (fine by me!). It's just too draining emotionally (and not to mention of precious free time).

Let's see, what else. Henry sleeps a lot. He has a bottle and falls back asleep. He sleeps well at night. He loves to be cuddled, but will fall asleep in his bouncer or crib too, as long as he's swaddled up. He did spend a decent amount of time awake yesterday evening. He's a pretty great baby.

I made more leaf cookies and decorated them. A double batch this time. I probably shouldn't make too many more cookies till Christmas because it's dangerous to have them in the house.

Lucy is going to be a butterfly for Halloween and we are taking her trick-or-treating down the cul-de-sac. Can't wait. I'm sure she'll want to eat all the candy as soon as it's handed to her. That should be an interesting battle. :)

I haven't taken many photos lately, but I probably will try to soon, since the fall colors are pretty much at their peak and I'd like to go to Hager Park or Spring Grove Park with the kids, and maybe... just maybe... try to do a portrait of the four of us! Our first family photo (other than the one in the hospital)! We'll have to bundle up.

Pot Roast

Tonight we had pot roast for dinner (in the crock pot.. I started it this morning). I think it's one of the easiest meals, and is especially nice on a cool fall day like today. Plus it makes the house smell great! Anyway, Lucy was eating hers and trying to share some with her daddy. I'm not sure where she got this little phrase, but she kept saying it. Maybe it's just the way she says it that's so funny. I had to grab the camera...

Post Farms

Yesterday afternoon Ron and I brought the kids to Post Farms. We got there around 4 PM so we beat a lot of the crowd. The first thing we did was have Lucy ride the Pumpkin Train (of Terror). She got strapped into a barrel and waited excitedly for the ride to begin. Once the tractor started up and the barrels started winding around in figure-8's and circles, she was no longer loving it... She never actually cried, but she held on for dear life and looked at us with a pouty lip. We waved and smiled every time she came around to play up the fun she was supposed to be having. Did that help? You be the judge:

Before they started ("this is cool!"):During the ride ("Why are Mom and Dad smiling at me? This is not fun!"):

After the Pumpkin Train, we walked over to the hayride. This was really what we came for - on the way there she kept saying "hayride, yaaay" and now that we had her all freaked out from the Pumpkin Train, she was sure to love the giant loud tractor and sitting in a pile of straw with a bunch of strangers... right? At first she was nervous again but quickly warmed up to it when we pointed out the pumpkins and cheered "wheee!" when we went over bumps and mud puddles. Before long she was laughing and throwing straw on my legs. Henry never woke up the entire time we were there!We were taken to the pumpkin patch where Lucy tripped on vines and tried to pick up pumpkins which weigh about as much as she does. She had fun though, wandering around and getting a little dirty. She found an old dried up corn cob and tried to eat it as I shouted "icky!" Life is so confusing and full of contradictions, isn't it Lucy?The hayride trailer returned a little while later to take us back to the barn, and that is when we got donuts and cider. We plowed through half a dozen in only a few minutes (they're very small donuts!). After eating (we were thinkin'!) we took her over to see the goats and miniature horses. She still wasn't too interested in petting them. She also saw a kitten which interested her much more than farm animals do, and since the crowds were starting to pick up, we decided to head home. I regret not taking any photos of Henry while there, but he wasn't really that excited about what was going on, and it was just easier to keep him bundled up in the carrier, since it was a little chilly for him (but perfect weather for a fall outing like this!). We hope to go back maybe once more this fall, if we get another nice day.

Here are more photos

Checkup + Cookies

Yesterday I brought Henry to the pediatrician for his 2 week checkup. My mom came over and watched Lucy so I didn't have to bring her with. Henry was 9 lbs at birth (then lost about 2.5 oz.) and as of yesterday is up to 9 lb. 13 oz.! That seemed extremely high to me, but apparently it's only the 75th percentile for weight for boys (which is still up there, but not as drastically high as I thought). He also grew from 21 inches to 22 1/4 (90th %). Everything else is fine and we go back at 2 months for lots of shots!!!

This afternoon I made sugar cookie dough to make leaf-shaped cutout cookies. I went to get a lighter out of drawer (for a candle) and stumbled upon my oak leaf cookie cutter and got inspired. Lucy and Henry are both asleep so I quickly got the dough made, and plan on possibly baking them later tonight. It all depends on the amount of chaos going on and whether or not I'll be able to devote the time. If not, dough stays good in the fridge/freezer for a while! It's a good TV watching night and our great room is set up nicely to watch TV while baking or cooking. Sounds like fun to me...

Awake Time

Henry's eyes are a lot more open, like I said yesterday. This morning I took a few photos of him, and suddenly he looks completely different. I might be biased, but he's quite the handsome guy. His eyes are very dark blue, so I'm not sure if they'll be blue or brown (but they don't look like they'll be blue and brown!)

He actually has been a lot less fussy as well, and is starting to fall into a loose schedule of eating, being awake, and then napping (that's the order we want to achieve... as in the book "Babywise", although he still falls asleep for a bit after having his bottle). It makes figuring out what he needs easier to do, if we can establish a routine... even this early. I like this method because it helps to avoid feeding as the default method of soothing a baby (if that isn't what they actually need). Of course, life with a newborn is all about patience and flexibility, and with Henry I am a lot more laid-back than I was with Lucy. If he is clearly hungry, I am less likely to worry about the fact that "it hasn't been 3 hours yet..." and just feed the poor kid! But if it has only been an hour, I can safely assume something else must be wrong.

Last night he woke up twice to eat, but hardly had anything before falling back asleep. I think that's a good sign that he is moving toward sleeping more at night and being awake more during the day. That could change tonight, however... so I shouldn't jinx myself!

Workin' Out

For the past couple of days Henry has been on-and-off cranky. For his first week he was sleepy and calm all the time, but not anymore. He can be calm occasionally. And of course when he's asleep he's an absolute angel! But lately he's been a bit fussy. He really likes being held, which I do enjoy. It makes it hard sometimes to take care of Lucy, or bust her naughty moments when I am tied up with Henry, but I've been able to juggle it as well as can be expected. I even manage to shower daily! Well, I guess I am placing trust in Lucy not to burn the house down while I am in there... she watches cartoons for a bit and I don't take that long.

Anyway, when Henry is awake, and not crying, I take advantage of the opportunity to give him some "tummy-time". He seems to already have strong neck muscles and can pick his head up and turn it from one side to the other. That's about his only trick for now. When he is awake and not crying, his eyes are much more open, and he can look around. It seems like he is focusing better on people and objects, especially lights on the ceiling. He is less curled up now, so suddenly he seems much bigger! Maybe he is bigger... with how much he eats! He has an appointment on Wednesday and we'll see how much he has grown.

I also had my first lesson in careless diaper changing. I hadn't experienced any baby boy accidents yet (you know what I mean), so I got a little lazy and left him uncovered for a moment... whoops. So that sleep-n-play lasted about 2 minutes!

He is napping now but his big sister is not... grrrrr...

Basement!

Our basement is finished, nothing fancy, but it has potential to be quite a nice rec/family room someday... maybe we'll get around to redecorating it, but for now it's kind of a mix of Ikea stuff and Craigslist / Bargain corner stuff, our big old TV, and our poker table/chairs. When we moved in things just sort of got placed down here and now it's out of control!

I spent just a few minutes clearing some shelves and getting ruthless with random things, like a plastic box with potpourri in it. Great for toddlers and babies, I know. Trash. Random "decorative" whiskey jugs and fake grasses. Andirons. Well, the andirons I like, but for now we just can't have them out. I have a CD tower that I am going to have to make a decision about. It's tall and has a high center of gravity. Anyway, that is just the tip of the iceburg.

The plan is to convert the basement into a place where kids and their toys are welcome, and we don't have to constantly tell our child(ren) "no" when they approach something sharp, metal, fragile, and/or heavy. Where walkers, tricycles, and singing lawn mowers can roam free. By this weekend, some of Lucy's larger toys will come down here, and she will be allowed to play in this whole new special space (Henry can do his thing down here too, although that may be limited to tummy time or sitting in a bouncer). This is also where our computer is located, and may be dangerously conducive to me Blogging / Facebooking. Back to work!

EDD

Today was my due date!

Calm

Here's a photo of our little boy from yesterday, looking peaceful.... (awwwww)

We've only known him for 9 days (I've known him a bit longer in a way, but only to the extent that he likes to be in a tight little ball - he still loves being swaddled)... but we're starting to see a tiny glimpse of Henry's personality. Ron and I both think he is a bit more mellow than Lucy was. He does not cry much or need much soothing to settle back down. I guess I vaguely remember Lucy having crying jags that would last an hour or more, usually late at night. They weren't terrible but I remember calming her down took a bit more effort. He cries when he's hungry and after he eats he is content and soon falls back asleep. He also spits out a pacifier and makes a face like he's thinking, "what is this silly contraption you keep offering to me?" Yet he does not suck his thumb...

He eats almost 3 oz. every 3-4 hours. Therefore, his nighttime schedule isn't too bad... if he eats around 11:00 or midnight, then at 3 AM, and then it's morning again. So, really I feel like I'm getting up only once in the middle of the night. I can handle that!

Lucy has actually been very happy lately, especially since she has a few new toys to keep her occupied. I think that having a birthday has helped a lot with her dealing with a baby taking my attention. Then again when Henry is sleeping, I play with Lucy. In fact, I probably play with her more than I did during the last few weeks of my pregnancy, when I was so tired!

Late Little Party

We celebrated Lucy's birthday last night with only our parents at our house. We wanted to keep it small and simple since it was going to be too hectic to plan anything really big this year. Lucy really "got it" this year about the whole birthday thing, and was banging on the front (storm) door as her grandparents arrived, and then she'd run around at top speed. We didn't waste too much time before letting her open her presents, and then a little while later we had carrot cake cupcakes and ice cream. She sat in awe as we sang "Happy Birthday" and then she blew out her two little candles without any help. Her blowing is more like a forceful "Fffffff!" but it worked!

After our parents left, Lucy was happy to get in the tub and play with her new crayons (for writing on the walls of the shower and tub... one of her presents from us). Then we sent her to bed, but of course all the excitement had her too jazzed up to sleep. She got up over and over until 9:45, and when she was in bed, she was singing "Happy Birthday To Youuuuuuu!" at the top of her lungs - she just repeats that line over and over. She was still singing it this morning when she was playing with her new kitchen set! I have a gallery with more photos HERE.

Lucy: 2 Year Photos

Yesterday I made an effort of getting some really nice photos of Lucy for her "2 Year Old" photos. Henry came along in the carrier and slept under a blanket, avoiding the mosquitoes. I decided to take them myself because a) it's cheaper, and b) I will take many many more of her than the ladies at Wal-Mart would, and therefore have higher odds of getting some really good ones. I have quite a few that I LOVE and that I think capture her personality, which is really what we hope to do with photos - as opposed to forced smiles and stiff poses. I have to thank my mom for helping wrangle her at Johnson park (on the side by the river), and I also got a workout trying to move around. Last year I went there with her and she was just barely walking... a lot less cardio involved for me!

I'm currently posting some to her new gallery on Smugmug but there might be more later... and here are a couple of my favorites:

Reunion, etc.

Last night Ron and I went to New Holland Brewing Co. to have a night out, and a couple of drinks - it's been a while. It was also the night of the Class of 2003 five-year reunion, which was held in the Fairbanks Room. Since we didn't know the baby would be born by then, we didn't register, but luckily I know the right people ;) and we got to go in anyway! Thank you Amber! It was awesome to see her and Ryan, and Tiece and Rob, and Jen, my old roommate, and her husband Kevin... as well as a few other people I hadn't seen in a long, long time. I had two drinks, which was plenty for me... I'm a lightweight again!

We went back to my parents' house to pick up Henry, but Lucy slept overnight there. This morning we went to church, where our pastor announced the birth of our baby as we were walking in. Henry slept the entire time, and it was nice to be back.

So now the kids are napping and I frosted and decorated the (carrot cake) cupcakes we're having tonight - a late celebration of Lucy's 2nd birthday with our parents. I wonder if she'll be able to blow out the candles!

I Want Cake!

This weekend is my five-year reunion for Hope College... class of 2003. Although we have a newborn, I am hoping to make it to New Holland Brewing Co. on Saturday night, and possibly seeing some old friends.

Meanwhile, both kids are napping, I managed to upload some new photos, and in a short while Ron should be home! It's hard when he leaves so early in the morning, but it is nice that he's usually home before 4:00. So, here's a non-Henry related tidbit about life at the Denning house lately:

Lately Lucy has taken up whining, and she's a master at it, and she's loud! It drives me crazy. I guess this is the deal with a two year old. Yesterday she had to sit in the naughty spot for TWO minutes (her sentence has increased from 1 since as of Wednesday), at least three separate times. She sits there (which is awesome) but cries almost the whole time. We warn her about whatever she is doing wrong, and if she goes and does it again, all I have to do is guide her by placing my hand on her back and tell her to go to the naughty spot (at the end of the hallway with the doors closed - thanks Trish for the location idea)! She plops down on the floor and I watch the clock. When she gets up she says "sorry" and gets an explanation of why she was punished. Yesterday the offense was constantly getting into drawers and cabinets in the kitchen (and the fridge!) and asking for cake! It was the getting into / slamming drawers and cabinets that was really the bad behavior. "I want cake!" she kept saying, which was just funny... until it became extremely whiny. We never talked about cake, we have no cake (we haven't even had her birthday cake yet, because we're doing that on Sunday). I think she just came up with this idea on her own, and expects that if she wants cake, cake shall be produced. Now. Cake does sound good though, doesn't it?

So, we're having a lot of success with warning her before she acts, telling her she'll have to sit in the naughty spot if she does such-and-such. I end up sounding like a broken record, but she's learning the deal.

2 Photos

I think he already looks different! These are from today. More in our gallery.

Uh-Oh...

This was a couple days ago. Lucy loves her Elmo balloon but the string came off. I didn't say anything to Lucy and for a few minutes she was distracted. I thought she might freak out if she saw Elmo out of reach... but Ron figured out how to get it down with a couple of unused pieces of laminate wood flooring, clapping them together. The string was tied on better after that.

Update

We brought both kids to the pediatrician today for well-baby checkups. Lucy is very healthy, 35.5 inches tall (which we were told is the size of an average 3 year old... yikes!) and 31 pounds. Henry lost a couple ounces and is down to 8 lb. 12.5 oz. and I'm guessing his length is the same (21"). No one had to get any shots (which would've been a cruel way to begin Lucy's birthday)... so today's visit wasn't as traumatizing as usual.

So, as far as Henry is doing - he's eating every 2-3 hours (he chooses the "2 hour" option in the middle of the night however), and sleeps most of the day! We try to rouse him, but realize at this point there's not much we can do about a newborn sleeping a LOT. He opens his eyes more and looks around, and can pick his head off the floor when he's on his tummy. Still no signs of excessive spitting up, and he's happy eating whatever type of formula we give him (no particular brand preference here, just what's on sale). Lucy got to hold him for a little bit longer on the couch, and she was very happy looking at him and giving him kisses. She confuses his name "Henry" for the word "Hungry", so we're trying to get her to say it correctly (without resorting to teaching her to call him Hank... we'll let that happen in it's own time).

Happy Birthday To You!

Today Lucy turned TWO years old. It seems like only a couple days ago we were in the hopsital... oh wait..

Anyway, it is amazing how quickly our little baby girl has turned into an energetic, silly, intelligent person. It can be very hard to keep up with her at times, but it's worth it to see her accomplishing and learning new things every day.

With a brand new little one at home, it takes work to balance the attention we give to both kids. We made our best effort today to give her a happy birthday, even going out to eat at the Rainbow Grill for lunch. She got a free sundae of course, and I am glad the shirt she wore was brown because Lucy likes her hot fudge! It was weird to have a three-day-old baby out to a restaurant already, but Henry did well, had a bottle, and slept most of the time we were there.

I was reminded today that I need to take Lucy's "two year old" photos, I guess her "official" ones (since I'm going to do that myself). I will be a day or two late, but hopefully tomorrow I can get that done! I will also try to post some new ones of Henry, but as you can imagine things have been busy!

A Few Photos...

I have many photos already (are you surprised?) but I thought I'd just put a few up here before adding more to a gallery on our Smugmug (photo) page.

I'm Tired and Here's Why

Well, let's recap. Saturday afternoon we went out to dinner with my parents. I tried to eat something spicy... I'm not sure if that made any difference. We left Lucy with them because I had a strange feeling it wasn't going to be much longer. When we got home, we went for a walk, and even ran into some neighbors who are expecting a baby on October 4 (I guess they had the same idea we did). We talked with them for a while, and went back home to relax. We actually stayed up late enough to watch a half hour of SNL - this hasn't happened in ages!

I had some vague pains so I was hoping not to go to bed that night, but when midnight rolled around, we figured we might as well get some rest even if I were to go into labor soon.

The next morning came, and we got up, had some coffee, and went for another walk. I found myself having to take more frequent rests, and when we got back to our front porch and sat down, I started feeling pains with an "arc", which I knew were contractions and not just Henry wiggling around. Before too long I was antsy to get our stuff in the car and head to the hospital, which we did around 11:30 a.m.

In triage, I got checked out and we were instructed to walk for an hour. I was at 6 cm and my contractions were 4-5 minutes apart. After a half hour of walking I wanted to go back and lay in the bed in triage. Some nurses apparently thought it would be a good idea if I was just admitted then instead of waiting any longer, so by 1:00 p.m. I had my bracelet and we were staying. Yeah!

My water was broken when I was at about 7 cm, and after that things progressed fairly quickly. I'm not sure what time that was, but by 3:45 or so I felt ready to push. The baby was still a little high so they had me "labor down" a bit before I could actually start. Once I started pushing I felt a lot better and got the hang of things again. After about 20 minutes Henry was born! He was a good loud cryer and scored a "9" and a "9" on his Apgar... and I couldn't believe he was 9 pounds!

So, we had the nursery take care of him overnight and tried to get as much rest as possible in a hospital room... but by today we were feeling alright and ready to come home. Lucy is back home with us and she goes between acting very tender and loving toward her brother, to almost seeming more hyper and more defiant than ever. It will take some adjusting on all our parts! Phew... okay I have to take a computer break and I will post pictures as soon as I can!!! Maybe later tonight. For now, however, I need to get back upstairs!

We Have Some News!

This is Ron posting for Mindy ...

IT'S A BOY!!

We are very excited to announce the birth of Henry William, born Sunday, September 28th at 4:19PM. He was 9 lb 0 oz and 21 inches long. Everyone is doing very well and we are planning on returning home tonight.

Since we are still at the hospital, pictures will have to be posted later, as well as more details about our day.

...And the Doctor Said

Well, as of yesterday afternoon I am 5 cm dilated and 75% effaced. She did a membrane sweep, which was not painful, although some say it can be. I had that done at 38 weeks with my last pregnancy as well. As far as labor induction methods, it can only be done if you are partially dilated, and it will only kick-start labor if your body is ready, usually within a couple of days. She said, "maybe I'll see you tonight" but alas, this did not happen! That's okay, I have another load of laundry I wanted to get done. ;-)

We got everything set to go in case I woke up with contractions, but I haven't felt any yet. I do feel some familiar pre-labor symptoms, like mild queasiness and cramping, and essentially no appetite. So, I probably won't post anything new until after the baby is born... unless something extraordinarily exciting happens in my life between now and then. The fact is, this is pretty much all that is on my mind right now and I am not going to blog about it daily and drive myself (and everyone else) crazy!

38 weeks

These will be the last photos I take of myself pregnant! I think I'm a bit bigger than I was at 35 weeks, although I weigh the same. Maybe it just looks that way because I feel like my belly is a little lower now. Anyway, I am definitely getting anxious, waiting and wondering when labor will start. I know I have 2 more weeks until my due date, but considering how much I was dilated a week ago (and the fact that Lucy was born early) I don't really think I will get to October 8. I have an appointment later today and we'll see what the doctor says...

Happy Birthday!

Our friends' daughter Lauren turns 2 today. We celebrated at their house on Saturday with all our friends, and some of their relatives. I can't believe she (and soon Lucy) is two! We had a good time, with grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, and of course cake and ice cream.

No More Leaks

We have a new slider! Installed! All we're missing is some trim pieces, etc. but it's fully functional and has the cool blinds between the glass panes (in the air space), which I already love. Ron and my dad worked on it yesterday and also put in our 2 new windows on the side of our garage (the side of our garage faces the road (we're on a corner) and looked like the side of a barn, because it was just a big blank wall with nothing. The windows really dress it up, and I'm hoping someday to have window boxes where I can plant some flowers, etc. Not to mention, it lets a lot more natural light into the garage (as opposed to none, which we had before... unless the garage door was open!).

So, the old French door is on Craigslist for free, and someone already called and is coming to get it. I think with some repair, perhaps it could work for someone. I don't know... it wasn't working for us, but that's why we're giving it away and not selling it.

We're getting close to the point where we have to decide on a siding color...

Getting Closer!

37 weeks - I will probably take a photo today (I last took one at 35) and post it. Maybe it will be the last time I have to get the tripod out and do that. Hey, I just found a random mini Nestle Crunch bar sitting here. Anyway, my body hasn't changed much since two weeks ago, but I had a doctor's appointment yesterday - my weight is the same, my belly is about the same size, and a cervix check revealed that I am almost 4 cm dilated (I was at 4 cm at 38 weeks last time)! I was thinking I might be 1 or 2 at the most. There's no reason to think I'll go into labor this weekend or anything, but it gave me the reality check that it won't be much longer. I still haven't devoted enough thought to make this all seem real, despite the belly constantly reminding me. I decided that over the next week or two I will make more of an effort to mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepare for the upcoming change in our lives, because until now it seems like it's just been happening in the background. Is it even really possible to get ready?!

Anyway, I look at the dilation as progress in the big picture, and hopefully a little less time that I have to spend at home or in the hospital enduring contractions!

One thing I have lately are very extreme appetite shifts, and extreme energy shifts. Either I want to eat nothing at all throughout the day, or I will eat a huge plate of pasta. I get spurts where I want to clean the house top to bottom, or else I just want to lay around and do nothing. Just this morning I slept through 3 half-hour cartoons while Lucy played on the floor and when I woke up I saw her laying on the floor watching Clifford... so I'm feeling a little guilty about letting the TV babysit, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open! At least she wasn't getting into trouble (although I woke up from a dream where she had gotten a huge glass pitcher of ice water out of the fridge... which we don't even have in there). Speaking of dreams, I finally had one about the baby's gender: and it was a girl (newborn) with dark hair. Maybe it's a sign, or maybe it's just more random craziness going on in my brain.

The nice thing about the first time I was pregnant was I could rest as much as I wanted. Overall, though, it's not as hard as I was afraid it would be, taking care of one kid while growing another. I expect (hope) to feel a lot better physically after the baby is born, and then I'll be better able to get out and do fun things - just in time for my favorite season, autumn, and pumpkins, orchards, apple cider, maybe even a hayride this year (I'm pretty confident Lucy would sit still on a hayride and love it... and the new baby wouldn't have much of a choice!). The leaves on our trees are actually starting to change color a little bit...

Rain = Slider Delay

We had so much rain this past weekend - finally everyone's lawns are starting to look alive! We're happy about that, but disappointed that we weren't able to install our new slider (currently sitting in our garage). Of course, the old French doors definitely did NOT hold up against all the extra rain - I had to soak up quite a bit of water from the carpet and Ron put a tarp on the outside of the house, covering the doors and draping away to keep any more water from leaking in (looks great from the inside and the outside!). Maybe by the end of next weekend we will never have problems with it again! Can't wait!

Photo of Lucy Getting Nervous

I think she heard a loud truck or motorcycle and it caught her off guard. Usually she doesn't get scared about noises like that...

Photo of Ron Getting Nervous

I try to tell him that she can't fall out (or at least, it's not very easy to fall out of these bucket swings) but he still doesn't like when she leans back like this. Shouldn't the mom be the one who tries to prevent her child from landing on her head?

36

Now that seems like a big number :). According to "the books" I am supposed to pack my bag now with essentials for the hospital for myself (and Ron too). However, I'm drawing a blank as to what is needed, other than a few clothing items and toiletries... I'll make a list and start getting that together. I think it's a tad premature to pack (last time I overpacked, bringing things that I definitely did not need!), but I don't want to be unprepared either.

I had a checkup yesterday and everything is fine as usual. I'm up 23 pounds from where I was back in January... so pretty close to the 20 I gained with Lucy, and it should pretty much taper off now. My doctor didn't check for any dilation yet, but I can't help but wonder if that process has started. Odds are it is minimal if anything. I'm feeling a lot of those sharp pains, which are fun little surprises sprinkled throughout the day! In a magazine at the doctor's office I read someone's comment about it being the baby trying its different janitor's keys. That's kind of what it feels like... neat huh? Although a couple aspects of this stage of the pregnancy are unpleasant, I feel relatively great overall. It's just a sign that I'm nearing the end, which I feel is a good thing! The baby's head is down, which it has been for a little while now. I don't think we are having any more ultrasounds this time. With Lucy we had one at just before 37 weeks, but I'm not sure why, since I wasn't measuring "big" or "small"... it was cool to see the baby fully developed, but if everything is going fine I know it's unnecessary and a waste of time and resources (which someone is paying for, even though our insurance covers all those tests). Also, it will eliminate the obsessing over the little baby's face, trying to figure out if it looks more like a boy or a girl!

Front Porch

... the home improvements just keep coming! Maybe Ron has the nesting bug too (or he's just hustling to get things ready for our siding to go on ;)). Yesterday he spent the afternoon ripping the old rotting boards off our front porch, and readjusting things to make the whole thing level. He then replaced rim joists and deck boards so it looks like a brand new porch! Well I suppose it is a brand new porch in a way. The gaps between boards are much smaller too, which we both prefer to the XL gaps they used to have. He just has to do the step in front of the porch (which means busting out the old concrete step first) and that will be one more thing checked off the list.

Sunday School

Yesterday our church went back to its non-summer schedule - two services instead of just one, and also the start of Sunday school. On our way to church, I was a bit anxious about whether she would take the other kids' crayons, throw a tantrum, or some other bad behavior, despite our constant efforts to teach her manners (especially not throwing things!). But, I was also excited for her to be moving on to this big-kid stage, and know that things like this always get better and better each time. Lucy is in the group of kids who turn two by December 1 (she turns 2 in less than a month!). We've taken her to nursery for a while now, and she never seemed to be crazy about it. She'd usually frown or cry a little bit, and then slowly warm up to it throughout the hour, playing a little, but not very enthusiastic in general. Well, yesterday she literally dragged Ron by the hand down the hallway toward the check-in table, and after she was given her name tag she took the hand of one of the teachers and marched right to the classroom, never looking back! We were shocked, but very happy, to see her go without any hesitation! Who is this child?

Maybe this age seems late for her to finally be totally comfortable going with someone new, to someplace new, with people she doesn't know, but Lucy has never been a daycare kid so I suppose this kind of thing takes a little bit longer for her to get used to. It was nice not to be distracted by thoughts like, "I wonder if she is crying..." during church. We can't wait to take her again next week! The structure and more stimulating activities of Sunday school as opposed to nursery made all the difference in her mood for the morning.

New Roof

Our new roof was put on yesterday (completed in one day).Here is a photo that shows work while it was going on. We decided to go with a layover (no tearing off the old shingles) to save some money. We had one soft spot repaired, and went with the upgrade type shingle, so it still has the 25 year lifespan... and we saved several hundred much needed dollars.

We are going to do the vinyl siding this fall. The new slider is coming in the next couple of weeks (we want that in before siding goes on). We are replacing a French door that is literally rotting, drafty, and leaking (not to mention we do not like how it opens into the house, whereas a slider stays flush with the wall), and that will improve our energy use through the winter significantly, it was that bad! There are a couple other little things that need to be done before siding (a couple windows, and the front porch). We will be able to redo the back deck next year, ourselves. These major exterior improvements (roof and siding) are the most fun - they don't require US doing the work (and it's worth it!).

Rainy Day

I came home last night from hanging out at my parents' while Ron was at his grad class. I opened the garage door (everything seemed fine), and as I did Ron opened the door between the garage and the mudroom to greet us. The garage door opener (on the ceiling of the garage), apparently had had enough. Two little plastic screws that held something in place finally broke after 22 years. This caused something to come loose, and as Ron was reaching for it to see why it was hanging all goofy, it smashed onto the logic board. Looking up from the driver's seat (I was still in the car), I saw a bright flash and a shower of sparks, along with a loud pop sound. Hence our garage door opener no longer works. Ron called the manufacturer (Chamberlain) and reported the problem and not surprisingly, the model is discontinued and no parts could be purchased. So, at 9:30 PM Ron ran out and bought a new garage door opener, to be installed later today.

I know the rule - plan on something unexpectedly breaking or needing replacement and have a stash of money for just such an occasion. It's not a matter of "if", but "when" something will get fried or start leaking or fall apart. Or as Dave Ramsey calls it, have a "rainy day fund". Well, we try to always be in a position to manage these little catastrophes, but honestly it's easier said than done. Luckily we had an in-store credit from Menard's (from a coupon they honored after we purchased a slider), but we weren't really planning on spending $120 on something so random. Because of plastic screws.

The Roof

Roofing was to begin today. We are also finally getting a much-needed rainfall. Unfortunately those two things don't mix very well. I guess we'll see what tomorrow brings!

School's In

Ron is back to work, his first "real" day with students (he's been back since last week, a few days here and there getting ready, going to meetings, etc.). His schedule is pretty great this year, and we both actually enjoy how much more regular it is than his summer job's schedule. It's still going to be a busy fall since he is taking 2 grad classes for his master's degree, on top of everything else we have going on.

So, here's to another year (his 8th!). I hope it's a good one, tragedy-free, and full of hard-working students with positive attitudes!!! Maybe that's a little bit wishful but you have to start somewhere on day one, and for the most part his students are happy to be in his class. Some things are beyond anyone's control, but good or bad, it will be interesting to see what the year will bring.

Pow - Pow - Power Wheels!

My dad got a deal on two new toys for Lucy from someone at work, and she tried them out last weekend - a little motorized 4-wheeler and a Caterpillar dump truck (more photos on our photo site). She can make them go, but she hasn't quite figured out the steering!And here she is playing on the big dirt pile they had in their front yard last weekend (they are redoing their lawn after a few trees were removed). I guess she's come a long way from the days when she was terrified of sand. She just loves being outside, no matter how miserably hot it is...

Congratulations!

These two are engaged! Heath proposed to my sister over the weekend in Traverse City. We all think he's the perfect guy for her. I can't wait to hear more about wedding plans, but nothing specific has been decided quite yet...

My In-Laws in Grand Haven

Yesterday morning Ron, Lucy, and I took Ron's parents to Grand Haven... they had never been there and we thought it would be nice to show them around a little. We mostly walked along the channel and down Washington where there are plenty of interesting shops to browse around. They really liked it and want to go back someday to see some things we didn't get to. Ron's dad gets quite tired so we tried not to do too much walking. Since we don't have too many photos of us as a group, we made sure to take one. We are in front of the sundial outside of the Tri-Cities Museum. We didn't get any ice cream or Pronto Pups this time around, but I'm sure there is plenty of that in my future - next summer.