Living Vicariously

There will be no more bouncing in this house

2012-01-29T10:07:00.001-05:00

Its amazing the habits we create with our infants. Take Nairi for example. She has classic infant sleep behavior. She wakes up many times a night and the only way to get her back to sleep is to nurse and rock ( which I am happy to do) and then when that fails to bounce her to sleep on the exercise ball. No problem with an infant but she is getting bigger and heavier and will be 10 months old in 3 days. I think its time to get rid of the ball. So I deflated it and I'm stashing it in the basement in a hard to get to place so I am not tempted to re inflate it in the middle of the night. Last night was night 1... We were awake for over an hour with her rocking, nursing etc. Finally after both of us ( Mike and I 's) attempts were futile I plopped her in her crib and lay down on the twin bed in her room and closed my eyes and ignored her. First she talked to herself and then she actually LAID DOWN AND WENT TO SLEEP. She does not take any paci's or blankets or soothing objects but Mike and I so 3 cheers to furthering our sleep deprived state of being. The goal is that she will realize that if she lies down in her crib she can actually fall asleep on her own.

After 6 years

2012-01-27T07:35:00.003-05:00

...of my wife complaining, I finally agreed that we needed a king size bed. Mostly because the queen size bed has started showing it's age. She sent me a couple of links to platform beds (and even DIY ones). I thought it was a great idea and a way to save money by not having to buy the box springs (2 on a king size).

Since a King Size bed is 76x80", there was NO way that I could create it as one piece. Not to mention how heavy that would be. So, I created 2 separate pieces and screwed them together. I also created a base for it to sit on that would raise it 6" off the ground, so total to top of mattress would be 18" (as requested). She felt our current bed was too high.

Here is the structure of the platform. Made out of 2x4s. I made 2 of them.

Then I screwed them together. Can't tell you how much I love my workshop. I was able to fit this in there and still have room to work around it!!

Here is the final product. I had to add legs around the perimeter because it was sagging at the edge. Guess the structure it sits on wasn't quite big enough.

Here are the 2 pieces with trim work.

Without them mattress and before the legs were put on. See how it is sagging? It didn't sag a lot, but would have caused the mattress to be uncomfortable sooner than later.

After almost 6 years we have some framed family photos

2012-01-25T19:53:00.002-05:00

Mike and I will celebrate 6 years of marriage in May. Basically since Keira was born I have wanted to frame some black and white pics but at our other house due to the smallness of our house and the slopedness (is that a word?) of our capes walls there was very little wall space. Finally I can say we tackled this project. We want to do lots more so this is more of a starting point.
Step 1- Hire nice photographer to take beautiful pictures of your children. Or if you are cheap take them yourself, enlarge them and print them in black and white on photo paper.
Step 2 Print some random words/sayings to break up the cuteness factor.

Step 3- Buy lots of nice frames on clearance at AC Moore

Step 4 Hire handy man aka husband to hang them for you making sure there is plenty of levelness all around

Step 5 Enjoy ( it only took 5.5 years in the making)

Happy 71st Birthday to Grandpa

2012-01-23T09:30:00.001-05:00

Pigtails!

2012-01-22T10:24:00.001-05:00

Enough hair for pigtails at nine months old!

virus

2012-01-16T18:43:00.002-05:00

ahhh nothing says winter in New England like a nice ole virus! Saturday Israel threw up for the first time in his life ( he spit up tons as a baby but spit up and throw up are two completely different things) We thought maybe he had the stomach flu but he just threw up that once and has been more sick with cold symptoms like coughing and runny nose and body aches. Nairi has the cold and a fever and Keira has a cold. All around they are not that fun to be around....... But I really shouldn't complain because they have been really healthy for all of fall and winter so far. And we are hearty folks and can handle the cold, the grayness, and the sickness of January and February right? RIGHT???

The playing in the snow aftermath

2012-01-12T13:30:00.000-05:00

Finally some decent snow!

2012-01-12T13:29:00.001-05:00

Fun times

2012-01-12T13:29:00.000-05:00

Im going to be walking soon! Better watch out!!

2012-01-10T10:29:00.000-05:00

Being 2

2012-01-10T10:25:00.001-05:00

Its hard when your mind is away ahead of your motor skills. He wanted so badly to open this band aid and apply it to his imaginary boo boo but he couldn't get it open and he wouldn't let me help him. Finally he let me open it but he wanted to put it on his finger himself and wasn't able too. Tantrums all around.

This is what boys do with toys

2012-01-09T17:01:00.001-05:00

Break them. The wheel broke off of one of Israel's trucks yesterday. Since then he has proceeded to break/ take apart the wheels to several other of his trucks. Then he can be seen trying to put them back together. I love the way his mind works. He is trying to figure out how everything works but breaking lots of things in the process. He did the same thing last week to one of my clothes drying racks. Took it apart and broke it. He was proud of himself. "Look Mama!" Like it was meant to be taken apart.

A sweeter Keira

2012-01-09T16:56:00.001-05:00

When she isn't causing trouble or bothering her brother she can usually be found looking through books or begging me to read to her. I can't wait till she can read as I think she will amuse herself for hours with books like I did as a kid.

Time out

2012-01-09T16:53:00.001-05:00

Keira ( she has an apple in her mouth hence the funny face) in her home away from home ( aka time out spot) This time she was in time out for kicking her brother. She is bossy and wants to control the world and when the world ( mainly Israel) doesn't listen she gets angry and does mean things like take toys away, kick or push.

Weekend project ( of course!)

2012-01-09T16:40:00.001-05:00

Totally completed!

This Saturdays project was to add some lights to the family room. Its a huge room with only a ceiling fan and light for over 400sq feet of space. I hate dingy lighting or not enough lighting. I find it depressing. The more lights the better in my opinion. Because there is popcorn ceiling its harder/more work/ messier to add recessed lighting so we went with some cheap wall sconces from Lowes. In the above picture the L is the unfinished once and the R is the completed light and fixture ( obviously). Mike ran the wires for the lights and added a switch. Its so much brighter in the room at night and now there is enough light to read in front of the fire place.

Always by daddy's side ready to "help"

Epic Fail

2012-01-09T12:01:00.001-05:00

This is what happens when your garage is too small- or rather your car is too big or Mike would say when you don't know how to drive. Its a tight squeeze to fit the van in the garage. Made more difficult by the fact that you must pull in the driveway and make a 90 degree turn. I knew this was going to happen sooner or later. Im surprised it took this long. I am not good at driving large things in tight spaces. So it happened. I swiped the garage as I was pulling in and damaged the van. We dropped it off at the auto place last night to get fixed. We have insurance to cover it but we have a $500 deductible. Darn! Estimated total damage $1400...

Bits and Pieces

2012-01-02T15:46:00.005-05:00

Mike checking out the attic space above the garage.

Since there is no snow digging in the mulch will have to do......

ahh 2012. After a busy day Mike and I spent an exciting New Years Eve hanging out with the kids, popping popcorn and watching Dumbo. It was a 730 pm bedtime for the kids and a 10 pm bedtime for us. There is absolutely no way I can stay up till midnight. Sleep is an ongoing issue that I think lots and lots of parents struggle with so its nothing new. We attempted to move Nairi back into our bedroom which was an epic fail. She equates us with playtime so it was a no go on sleep all around so she is back in her own room for now still waking up every few hours. Israel and Keira still wake up around 530, sometimes as early as 430 ( we send them back to bed if its before 5) despite us pushing their bedtime from 7ish to closer to 8ish. Israel has finally settled into his big boy bed and sleeps well there at night. The only way to get him to nap though is to sit in his room until he falls asleep and then sneak out. I am only able to do that though if Nairi is already asleep so everyday I find myself with the job of multi tasking everyones sleep needs throughout the day. For a while I was having him nap in Nairi's crib or the pack and play but he has figured out how to climb out of both. We also gated his room but he stands there and shakes and rattles the gate waking up Nairi so that doesn't work either. Ahh the joys of life with small kids. :o)
Mike and I are still pondering the big school decision. I thought once we toured the 4 schools that interested us the decision would be easier but we are still struggling. None of the schools has everything I had wanted ( weekly Mass, a playground, ample outdoor time, a gym, a foreign language, 200-300 students, great Catholic families/ students, strong Catholic identity, less structured Kingergarten program, half day kindergarten etc etc). Ugh. I don't know how we are going to decide on this one!
All in all 2011 was a big year of changes and I hope that in 2012 things will ease up a bit. Nairi will be walking ( she is pretty close to walking now!) and less intense needs wise I hope. Keira will be in Kindergarten in the fall which means I will have more time for the younger kids and will spend less time easing sibling fights. Keira and Israel annoy each other alot but Israel and Nairi really seem to like each other. That could change though we shall see.

We are absolutely enjoying our new house to the fullest. The space is heavenly and the storage capabilities endless. Just today we ventured into the attic for the first time and I'm amazed at the space up there. I'm determined to not collect stuff just because we have the space so every few months we donate a few bags of clothes, toys misc but its still so amazing to me to have big closets, 2 coat closets, a huge basement, a garage AND a basement. Ahhh heavenly space!!!

My brother is moving to San Diego in 3 days and I'll admit especially this time of year I am a bit jealous. Jan, Feb, March is my least favorite time of year. The cold and the darkness just really get to me and make me crabby!! I can't even imagine what its like to have sunshine 350 days a year. I'm hoping there might be a trip to San Diego in our near future.

Happy 9 Months Nairi

2012-01-02T15:46:00.000-05:00

Nairi almost 9 months

2011-12-30T17:38:00.002-05:00

Passed out

2011-12-30T17:29:00.001-05:00

The first time she has skipped a nap in 2 weeks I found her passed out on the couch at 4 pm. I think she is going to have to be weaned of naps before she starts Kindergarten.

Christmas Day 2011 Pics

2011-12-30T16:54:00.004-05:00

Stealing cousin Joseph's ball

We had a very Blessed and Merry Christmas. Lots of fun, good cheer and family.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T11:30:00.000-05:00

My brother Aram's 4 kids and my 3!

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T09:40:00.001-05:00

Yay snow!!!!

2011-12-23T12:26:00.002-05:00

snow on tree branches = pretty

Apparently the street needed shoveling according to Israel....

" But I want to go INSIDE!!!" Whined the 4 year old after 4 min of being outside and after I dragged my sorry self outside with them and the baby at 730am and after 10 min of putting on snow gear.

So in awe that he woke up to snow

If one must deal with snow loving children at 7 am coffee helps.

She tolerates her snow suit very well

Master Bedroom paint job

2011-12-19T19:53:00.002-05:00

As always these pics are backwards. This is the new paint color. Its hard to tell but its a orange/yellow. Its the first step in the master bedroom remodel. Everything in this room was white/almond/off white. I realize it looks a bit harsh right now but the plan is to add a dark hardwood floor like Brazilian cherry and get rid of the nasty off white carpets. I think the dark wood will go really well with the orangish walls and the white furniture. We will get an area rug that picks up the wall color too and yes we will be getting a different bedspread.