Kate Update

Just thought I'd write a few things about our little Kate real quick. I really want to post pictures of our California trip, but Brian has them on his camera. But I'll get them and post them soon. We had so much fun!! It was really hard to come home to snow. Anyway Kate is such a fun baby, even if she is a bit of a momma's girl, and extremely clingy. I never realized how opposite two kids could be. She's finally starting to get a little more brave and be social. It's been rather nice. She is nine months and has been crawling and climbing for a couple months now. She loves to get into anything she can, especially the toilet. I thought we still had a few months . . . but anytime the bathroom door is open you can bet she'll be in there. Kate is still having a rough time with the tear ducts. The probing we had done didn't do much good and both eyes are still closed off. We have decided to go ahead with the surgery to put tubes in to open the ducts. The tubes will be left in for 10-12 weeks and then will be pulled out, in hopes to keep them open! The poor girl has to deal with me constantly wiping and cleaning her eyes. No fun. We have the surgery scheduled for the middle of May. Kate is still pretty small and petite, but oh so cute! She has four teeth now and still not much hair. She's started to stand by herself, and I'm sure it won't be long before she starts walking. Darn it! Then I'll really be in trouble trying to chase two. Lucy and Kate have lots of fun together. I often hear them giggling from the other room. It's so cute. I know this is really random, so I'll stop, but I wanted to write a few things so I don't forget!

Lucy is 3 Now!!

Lucy turned 3 years old on Sunday! I can't believe it. She is so much fun these days. I really can't imagine life without her. She is really starting to grow up darn it! We had a fun little party with family and Lucy had a great day. She's been practicing how to do 3 with her fingers for weeks now. She was so excited to show everyone at church. Lucy keeps us very busy and loves to spend time with Daddy and the horses. She loves princesses . . . right now Ariel is her favorite. She wanted a mermaid cake for her birthday- but I'm lame and didn't want to try and make a mermaid cake, instead we did fondant, since that's easier. Not. It was a last minute attempt- just ask Alisa. But I learned a lot and it was fun. Well, I still need to post kitchen pictures. We do have a 'functioning' kitchen again!! Yay! Now all we need is trim and crown molding. It looks great. I'll post those pictures soon. Tomorrow we are off to Disneyland for a few days with Grandma & Grandpa Bailey and Uncle Brian! Woo hoo! Lucy can't wait, it will be so FUN! Here's a few pics of the birthday girl!

Lucy was so excited to take cupcakes to Nursery for her birthday!

Lucy with 'the cake'- looks like a big mess of playdoh!


Lucy got the coolest gardening tools from Brock & Abbie. She can't wait to use them! Thanks guys!

And the most exciting present was to be able to hold her cousin Kalli for the first time! We are so glad that Kalli is home and doing well. She spent her first two months down at Primary Children's, but is thankfully home now. And she is the CUTEST little thing ever!

Slowly, But Surely . . .

What a job this has been! Originally, we weren't planning to sheetrock all the walls, but once we tore down one, we figured we might as well do the rest. The girls and I made it home last Friday from Oregon. Nick had gotten so much done while we were gone- new plumbing, tearing down more walls, sheetrocking, taping, mudding, sanding, texturing, painting, wiring . . . thank goodness for such a handy, AMAZING husband! He's done a ton of work. Since I came home we put in the floor, finished painting, put up the upper cabinets, and just started with the cleaning of a plaster covered house. I can't wait to post pictures of the final product one of these days. It looks amazing already. I can't believe the difference the new floor and walls make, it's beautiful. The cabinets are going to be so nice- a HUGE thanks to Brant for all his help. Hope I can post more pictures when it is finished soon. In the meantime, here are a few from along the way!

Down to the studs and starting to sheetrock. Notice the lovely, new window! It even opens!

Lucy helping Daddy with the floor! No glasses, it was extremely late and Lucy should have been in bed, but was way too excited for the new kitchen floor!

Lucy being soooo helpful. Nick putting in the final piece!

Nick and Brant securing the upper cabinets!

And here they are! Can't wait to fill them up!

We Miss You Daddy!

Love,

Lucy & Kate

Home in Oregon

We are having so much fun in Oregon that we decided to stay for another week! We have definitely livened things up around the house here though, if that's what you call it. Lucy has had a great time reading stories and playing house with Grandma and Grandpa. It's fun to be home. The weather has been a few degrees warmer here too, which is definitely a plus and NO SNOW! Brian took these pictures tonight. As for the kitchen, it is still a ways from being done, another reason why we didn't want to head home quite yet. Nick decided to tear down all the walls in the kitchen down to the studs while he was doing the rest. It will be so nice when it's done. Notice poor Kate's eyes in the pictures. She's on some EXPENSIVE eye drops to get rid of the infection. Hopefully it clears up quickly. Also notice Dad's nose. He got elbowed playing basketball, looks painful. Anyway, we miss you Daddy and can't wait to see you this weekend!

What We've Been Up To . . .

Nick has been building new cabinets for our kitchen, with the help of Brant, his brother. I knew at some point we would have to tear the old one's out, but I had no idea how big of a job it would be. We started last night after we got the girls in bed at about eight and worked until two in the morning! Once we got going we couldn't stop because it was such an enormous mess! Wow. We tore out the cabinets, along with several layers of other stuff. All I know is those plaster walls sure make a HUGE mess. We also pulled up the lovely carpet we had in the kitchen too -- I really don't want to know how long it has been there. I'm not sad at all to see that go. It will be wonderful when we get it all put back together, hopefully sooner than later. But I do know that these projects sometimes take longer than you think. So I am off to Oregon with the girls for a week, in hopes that I can walk into a brand new kitchen when I come home!! Yay! I can't wait, can you tell? Stay tuned for some before and after pics shortly! Here's a few pictures for your enjoyment . . . it was not fun.

Just getting started

Bottom cabinets out, on to the top . . .

Don't think Nick did it all just because he's the only one in the pics, I was covered in plaster too!

Getting the last bit of plaster stuff off . . . then it was on to clean up! Kelly, I'm sure that you can appreciate this post.

Baby Shower

My friend, Julie, is having a baby shower on her blog. She has TONS of giveaways and all to benefit two little babies who have spent months in NICU's. Click on this button to check it out!

She's Lookin' Good!

Here she is! Lucy's glasses finally came in and we picked them up today. We are so excited and hope that these little glasses will help her out. She's doing pretty good with them and looks super cute!
Happy Sisters!

It's Been Confirmed

After 3 eye doctors, it's been decided that Lucy definitely needs glasses. We picked out frames for her last week and hopefully they will be in this week. All she asked is that they be pink. She is so excited. Let's hope that excitement continues when we try to keep them on her from the minute she wakes up . . . until she goes to sleep. She has what they call strabismic amblyopia. In other words, her eyes are straining so hard to see that one eye (or sometimes both) will cross inward. When this happens her brain will shut off that eye and only use the other to see . . . NOT GOOD! Hopefully she will notice a huge difference with her glasses on and will like to wear them.

How About Another Giveaway!?

Click here to enter to win this sweet STROLLER!