Basement updates

The basement project is coming along!

Once the electrical and framing were completed...

We were able to get the drywall done!

We also had glass block windows put in... GASP, we hired a professional!!!

This weekend we will start painting and hopefully adding a ceiling!!!

House projects!

Although this is going to be photo-less, I thought I'd do a quick post to let you know all about what we are doing around our house!

It's been a quite 10 months around the house, mostly because Lacey doesn't sleep and we are exhausted new parents! Prior to the baby we were always on the go on the weekends doing this and that and pulling apart rooms... now we run errands on Saturdays and Sundays are usually proclaimed "pj's and sleep as much as possible" days. Ahhhhh... parenthood :)

Good news is that we are starting back up! Our current project list includes:

Basement: ripping everything out (to the studs done), expanding the prior "finished" part and expanding it a tad to make me a new, permanent home office plus family room/bar. Yes, I said bar and it will be approximately 10 feet away from my desk, LOL.

Re-wiring: sine the basement ceiling and walls will be out, we are going to be re-wrining the entire downstairs and basement. Last year we did put in a new electric box and re-wired the upstairs. Now, it's the downstairs turn!

Kitchen: the kitchen has been mid-project for over a year now, because in order to do some of our other projects (such as re-wiring the upstairs, overhaul of the plumbing & venting, etc.) we've had to make some holes in the kitchen walls. The kitchen will probably remain mid-project for at least another year because it will be our last completed project. While it's ugly half-done, we really can't finish it until we finish everything else. Plus, it's still functional!

My office/Lacey's room: since sweet little Lacey is such a light sleeper and we have tried everything else, we are going to move her bedroom to my current office room (the back and farthest bedroom). The problem is that this isn't easy because my office is also my sewing room and I have more crap in it than you can possibly believe. My goal for Monday is to clear out the room/closet and get everything stored somewhere (no basement storage right now!) I'll then be moving Lacey into this room and moving my office into her Safari-themed bedroom until my new office is ready. The room has no theme right now (neutral walls) but I am thinking of doing a pink/green theme. She'll be moving into it without any cute decor/colors because the key is getting her into the quieter bedroom. The cuteness will just have to come later! I am loving this though because when we did our other nursery we made it neutral since we didn't know Lacey's gender... I am LOVING all the cute girly bedroom decor!

Misc. projects: Re-do Lacey's new bedroom walk-in closet, buy/hang all new closet doors throughout the house, hopefully get new living room furniture as well as furniture for the new basement, lots of repainting due to all the moving and dinged walls.

That's it... we have lots to keep us busy in 2010!!!

2009 Wrap-Up

Wow, I can't believe what a crazy year it has been! Here are some of my highlights of 2009:

January: In January I was just getting comfortable in my new job with J&J. I was commuting to Rochester (1 hour 2 minutes) 2-3 days / week. I only had a few really bad whether days. In January I was just about to hit my third trimester of my pregnancy with Lacey! My nephew Drake was born (in a hurry I might add) on January 4!

Erin, Me, Brian, Melissa and Garrett at Niagara Falls

Sara, Stephanie, Me and Kristin goofing around on New Years

February: This was the month of my baby shower. I quickly learned how many baby things "we needed to have" and how quickly they would consume all of our storage space :) In February the baby's room was set up and ready to go!

Erin and I showing off Lacey's new "Made in Buffalo" outfit at my baby shower

March: My Dr. was anticipating Lacey coming this month... therefore, I started to cut back at work and no longer commuted after the 2nd week. We braced ourselves, I studied hypnobabies... we were ready and I was HUGE (gained 45 lbs!) ... ready to go.

No wonder she was a big baby, I'm HUGE!

April: March went by and we still had no baby. We got to meet Drake for the first time and was hoping that he would get to meet Lacey... but of course she wanted to stay put until April 4 - nearly 2 weeks after she was expected. My Dr. did offer an induction in late March, however I refused unless medically necessary. My labor was not fast and not fun but ultimately we had a beautiful and healthy baby girl born on 4/5/09 weighing 8 lbs 3 ounces.

Day #2

5 days old

May: Yay for maternity leave! Lacey and I spent the month of May taking lots of long walks (and I mean long!) We also took our first trip to Ohio to visit the rest of the family. At the end of May, Brian was let go of work and we decided that he would stay home with Lacey for the summer.

Getting ready for the annual golf tournament in Ohio!

June: In June, I went back to work after a few short (9) weeks. (Next baby I plan on staying home for 3-4 months.) It was a really tough month. Lacey was still waking up a few times a month, I was still breastfeeding/pumping and learning how to be a mommy.

3 month photo shoot at the beach

July: July was a great month because we started spending our weekends at the cottage and were able to get some help/sleep. I was busy working on a big project during the week while Brian and Lacey bonded. On the weekends we relaxed on the beach. Lacey loved her baby PeaPod!

Me, Lacey and Brian at the beach!

August: In August we made our second trip, a road-trip down to Atlanta with Lacey. She had a fabulous time getting to know her family down there and was amazing in the car. Lacey went in the pool for the first time in August. Brian also began looking and found a new job with JMD environmental. Lacey started daycare at the end of August with Pam.

Lacey with her Great Grandparents Blamire in Atlanta

September: Our cute little nephew Gavin turned 1 in September! It was a fun family day! Lacey grew accustomed to daycare this month and quickly began to make up for all the sleep she wasn't doing at home! We thought we might be taking a trip to France this month (for my work) but then the trip got cancelled.

Gavin in his birthday hat!

October: This month was Lacey's first Halloween and a visit from Grandpa Blamire. We took a trip to the pumpkin farm and had fun dressing up.

What a ham!

November: In November all of the babies were able to spend a few fun days together at Thanksgiving. We had a blast playing and especially visiting the aquarium! I'm looking forward to watching the cousins grow up and explorer as they get older. This was a very sleep deprived month - Lacey was waking up 3-4 times / night!

Drake and Lacey playing

The three babies - Lacey, Gavin and Drake

December: There is nothing like being home for the holidays! I was very thankful this year (again) to be back home and settled in Buffalo. Brian and I both have amazing families and we just could not have survived this year without them! This month was filled with Christmas traditions including cutting down our own tree, decorating the house and having Christmas brunch at our house.

My beautiful girl on Christmas!