Wednesday, December 19, 2012

'Twas..






'Twas the week before Christmas and the house was a mess, it's all Bart's fault definitely not Ness;
The hardware was hung on the walls with care, in hopes that new towels soon would be there;
With Dutchy fed and put down in his bed, we hoped that the painting voc's wouldn't hurt his little head;
Ness was in her sweats and Bart in his ball cap, had just hung the mirror, so they could finally nap;
When out on the street there arose such a clatter, Bart opened the bathroom window to see what was the matter;
The fire engine drove up the street in a flash, while we prayed the noise wouldn't make it through Dutch's window sash;
The street light shown on the newly fallen snow, and gave just the right lustre
to our cabinet and tile below;
But what to my wondering eyes should appear, but 2 new light fixtures and a toilet just for my rear :)
With a turn of the screw driver and few swear words that where quick,
the bathroom was finished in time for St. Nick.




The End

Thursday, December 6, 2012

5 month review

New NICKNAMES: Mister Man
Nicknames that stuck from last time: Little man, Bubski, Love Bug, Baby Dutch, Little Dutch and Dutchy.
Santa holding Dutch, sorry this is a picture of a picture

FAVORITE THINGS: Squealing and talking! Lately I've been able to lie him on a blanket with some toys and he will entertain himself for 30 minutes.  I know he's content and happy as long as he is talking and squealing. He loves to pull his socks off and eat them. He really enjoys scratching....he will open and close his little hand on blankets, our leather couch, my shirt, etc.  I think he likes the noise it makes and the feel.

AVERAGE NIGHT SLEEP:  Who knows.  He's given us 11 hours but then two nights later he woke up at 1:33, 3:00, 4:58 and 6:45. I kind of feel like it's Russian roulette-are we going to sleep or are we going to cry.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Started on rice cereal and thinks it the greatest thing ever, but now Bart is sure he's constipated.  We, of course, think it's so cute when he gets excited to eat and screams for the spoon.

-Dutch has almost roller from his back to front but seems really happy on his side ...so why bother going to all the work to really roll over.?.
-First Thanksgiving and first taste of mashed potatoes-he gagged-I guess we will wait longer :)
-Did a great job smiling and being happy for our first family photos.
-Got his first cough, which made mom go crazy thinking that it would turn into bronchiolitis. Went away in 9 days.

In case you haven't seen this on facebook

PLACES HE'S BEEN: The Provo Library, University Mall, Seagull Book, Bed, Bath and Beyond and Big 5 Sporting.

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED:
NESS:  I'm not sure if I have insomnia, postpartum depression, if I'm crazy or if my type A/red personality is rebelling from the LACK of control I have in my life, but I stay up worrying for 2-3 hours a night.  Now I can fall asleep very easily but as soon as Dutch cries, whether it's 1 AM or 5 AM my brain turns "ON" and I'm wired. Now this isn't just your run of the mill thinking about the next day, or meal planning, or thinking about family/issues. My brain worries that someone is breaking into my house or that we've had a natural disaster-aka-earthquake, and I'm all alone in Provo and I have to fend for myself and keep Dutch safe.  Yes, I know I can't control natural disasters and yes I know I shouldn't worry, but I do, every night...for hours.  So there you have it. I've learned that I'm crazy.

BART:  Life is pure bliss and happiness.  Ness did not mention this, but at Big 5 Dutch helped me buy him is first gun - of course when I tested it out for him it bruised my shoulder... I guess I'll have to wait a couple of years to turn him loose on it.  He's on track to be a real man! 

I guess I did learn that for as innocent and bland as rice cereal may appear, it can pack a real punch comming out the other end.  Talk about packing a punch - he's got a real good kick - I keep thinking we'll find bruises on his heels.  Some of the little baby nuances bring to me flashbacks of my own infancy - Oh how I loved the flavor of my well sucked thumb - granted it was always bitter at first.  (Maybe that wasn't as long ago as I like to think?)  And who can beat the rythmic, however irregular, hum of the car and bumps in the road - it beckons sleep.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Dutch 4 months

New NICKNAMES: Little Man and Bumski (this is what grandpa calls him. My dad will walk over and grab Dutch's toes and say "how's my little bumski doin"? and now I call him that all the time.
Nicknames that stuck from last time: Love Bug, Little Dutch and Dutchy.


FOUR MONTHS stats:
Height: 24 1/2 inches (40%)
Weight: 13 lbs. 4 oz. (25%)




FAVORITE THINGS: Dutch loves to talk. In the last 2 weeks he has started "ahhh, ohhh, blaa, oww, eee-ing" all the time-on his changing table, in his crib before his naps and then when he wakes up and also when he's hanging out in his papasan. 

Dutch LOVES to go for walks in the stroller. I told my mom that when he gets fussy to put him in his stroller ,with his soft blanky, and go for a walk. She was amazed that he didn't make a peep for her hour walk and he didn't fall asleep either.
Dutch always wants to be facing out when we are holding him and boy does he fuss and arch is back until we turn him around the other way.

AVERAGE NIGHT SLEEP: The average night is 8.5 hours. BUT we had seven days in a row of 11 hours then he'd go back to sleep for 2 more hours, BUT then the next week Dutch started waking up 3-4 times a night!If anyone has any recomendations, I'm all ears. Bed time is between 7-8 PM and I try to go to bed by 9-9:30, morning time is 8 AM, with 2-3 naps usually only 45 minutes long.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Rolled over from his tummy to his back. Laughs. Found his feet and loves to hold onto his socks.

Absolutely, positively loves sucking his fingers-he stuffs them in his mouth at any chance. Mainly he sucks on his 1st and 2nd fingers but sometimes I find 3 fingers in his mouth. He can't figure out how to get good suction around his thumb so his pointer finger is his favorite. 

Dutch got his 2nd round of immunizations and did great. 

He still fits in most of his 3 month clothes but he has a cute little fat roll on his thighs. 
Dutch is a great spitter-he spits and spits all day long. I think the record is 4 bibs and 5 outfits in a day just from spit, no poop.  I know that he doesn't do well with tomato or tomato sauce on spaghetti or pizza, it totally has something to do with what I eat. 

Last but not least, Dutch is starting to sit longer by himself before he topples over.


NEW PLACES HE'S BEEN: Macaroni Grill, JC Penney, Fat Cats for bowling, daddy's office, Wendy's, Arbys' and lots of lighting stores.

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED:
NESS:  I. HATE. DIAPER. RASH. Dutch has had diaper rash for 2 months! I've tried 2 different prescription medications and tubes and tubes of desitin original, desitin creamy, butt paste, triple paste and calmoseptine, still to have him squeal in pain.  I've changed brands of diapers twice and used only cotton balls with water to wipe him, I'm changing diapers every 2 hours and using baby powder-I am failing as a mother and as a Nurse Practitioner... and yes I cry over this regularly.
 
Your child can decide to wake up 4 times/night and scream for so long that you are sure he's sick but in the morning he acts totally normal and doesn't have a fever or ear infection. 
 
 
Bart:
1. I have a new appreciation for a parents bond with their child! 
2. Babies and routines are bogus. Babies will do their own thing. 
3. It's even more fun to come home to a baby and wife (don't get me wrong, I love to come home to Canessa too)- the smiles and coos are great.  Travelling for work is crappier than it used to be ... when I'm gone, it makes me feel a little more home sick.
4. No matter how frustrated you are in the night , when morning comes and Dutch smiles I can't do anything but love him.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Day ...

I think these before and after pictures give a better idea of what the cabinets looked like before they where painted. It is hard to see the difference from the vanity photos I posted last time. These cabinets are behind the door and have lots of great storage.













Someday I'll post about something besides the bathroom.

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Friday, October 26, 2012

Day, I don't know

I finally finished sanding, puttying and painting the bathroom vanity. We used Glidden paint and primer in Wood Smoke. I've never used a paint and primer in one before. It was easy and assuming the paint on the vanity continues to look good, I'll use it again. We got a mirror from Ross for only $50 bucks and I finally got to install my bargain hardware from Lowes-that I bought over a year ago.








Painting the wall cabinet, lighting and the rest of the bathroom hardware are next.
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Saturday, October 13, 2012

Day 5 and 6

No water, no sinks, no countertop and no mirror. My bathroom was worthless for the last 36 hours but Bart got most of it put back together an hour ago. Now I have a new granite counter, 2 new sinks, 2 new faucets and a taller more back friendly cabinet and I was able to seal the grout!





We still need new lights, hardware, a mirror and I need to paint the cabinet, plus we need to paint the ceiling and walls but we are making progress. Originally I was going to stain the cabinet a coffee brown but now I think I'm going to paint it grey instead.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Day 4

We grouted! Did you know that you are supposed to wait 3 days before you seal your grout? Hmm, guess that means 3 more days until I get to shower. Faulty.








I think it's looking pretty good though.
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Day 3

Yesterday Bart was able to finish tiling the walls. He is planning on grouting tonight. We are hoping that the tiling was the most time consuming and that the next projects will be faster...vanity, counter, sink, faucet, paint, mirrors, hardware, etc.












By the way, I love my new toilet. I would recommend anyone getting the American Standard Cadet 3!

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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Day 2 of the bathroom

Since it was Columbus Day on Monday, Bart was able to work on the tiling the shower. I think it looks great- I am excited that the granite tiles in the shower will match the granite countertop we found at the bone yard.


















Now we just need to use someone's shower for a couple days until we can get it grouted and sealed. Any offers?

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Monday, October 8, 2012

The LAST




 Bart started our last big house project on Saturday! Can you believe it..?..Me neither. We will see how long this project takes Bart with a baby, full time job, a wife that works 2 days a week, and a big church calling.











Check back for the progress. I'm going to try to post each day that Bart works on the bathroom.

Friday, October 5, 2012

10.04.07

Five years has come and gone. I am so grateful for Bart and for my little bald baby.  My mom did a really nice blog post about our wedding/the last 5 years- www.neesnews.blogspot.com. I think you should read it, :) since I don't have time (because Dutchy is crying) to do a better post today.

 

 

Monday, September 24, 2012

Oh, what does Bart do....

Oh, what does Bart do in the summertime, when all the world is green?

Does he build a big fence, or paints till he loses sense, or pour concrete as the Provo runners go by?
Is that what you do? Nor do I.


We love our fence...it blocks out the neighbors :)
 
 

If you remember, this was floor to ceiling glass windows that Bart removed and then built windows in to. We had to caulk and paint before winter comes.
 


Bart (and some guys from work) poured a 3rd pad on the driveway, so the renters could have off street parking

Bart hand mixed the concrete for the bottom step...it was something like 8 bags

Does he lay lots of sod, or dig with a rod, or redo the eves and rain gutters up high?
Is that what you do? Nor do I.




This is the beginning of my herb garden


Before

After

Before

After. Please tell me that you can see the difference

Does he move tons of rocks, or make dirty socks, or lay pavers till it's dark in the sky?
Is that what you do? Nor do I.


 
 
 
So that's what Bart did with his summertime, while all the world was green!
I think this is a good photo because it shows my herb garden, the plants and landscape fabric, the fence and the steps for the apartment.