The Mercado Milestones

Hello from Florida!

2009-12-29T00:28:00.005-05:00

We really have been having a wonderful time while down here, I feel like we live here again! It has been great to visit with so many family and friends- and it is just so nice and cheery to be outside.
We have been cramming in activity after activity that it is almost exhausting! Although- we did stay in our PJ's the other day until almost 3pm....but that is a rare exception- we were spending a lazy morning watching Mama Mia- what 18 month old doesn't love Mama Mia??
Our mini road trips are about done- we visited Gainesville & Orlando, and I think we have one more small trip down to Miami. Little Emma has become quite the traveler!

She loves loves loves playing outside. Especially since she has discovered sidewalk chalk. I like my theory of preferring she colors on the back patio instead of the front yard driveway... because if she falls in the pool I can just scoop her out.... but if she runs in the road- well... not so easy.

She wasn't very happy when I brought her inside. But-while playing outside with the bubbles, one accidentally popped in her eye and she was not happy about that, so I tried to rinse it with water....even MORE not happy about that.

Here she is planning her escape..........

...unfortunately she underestimated the size of her head when trying to escape through the doggie door.

Lucky us! We were able to squeeze in another visit with Catherine & Audrey while they were here visiting. Auntie Carrie came too- and Emma is in love.

Dancing with Carrie....

We celebrated Hanukah on one night all together when everyone was in town at the same time. This was such a fun night, and mom & dad prepared a delicious feast. I didn't get many pictures...but I DID get a snuggie blankie! woohoo!!!!!!! I'm looking forward to cozying up on the couch back home with my new blanket with sleeves!

Although it baffles me as her mother.... and is hard to admit.... but I do think my daughter much prefers her Aunt Stephanie over me!!!!!! She asks for her quite often, and when Steph walks in the room Emma begs to be held by her, no matter who is holding her/playing with her at the time!!!! This has been the case since she was a month old!!!!!

Visiting Grandma for Christmas. We were able to enjoy an extra day in Orlando this year and Emma got a lot of playing time with Grandma and her cousins. She spent several hours.. yes.. HOURS... in the playground with everyone and was then exhausted for the rest of the day.

She was showered with tons of stuffed animals... so many in fact that she thought their mini poodle was actually a stuffed animal and was trying to pick him up to play, so cute!

We enjoyed a nice lunch together after the playground and then opened presents the next morning.

Emma posing for the camera at dinner... I think she looks like a 'tough girl' in this picture, but my poor baby was just too exhausted to smile!

I didn't get very many pictures of Emma & Audrey playing together while we were visiting Gainesville.... they had a ton of fun together. Audrey remembered Emma from their last visit, but I think Emma is still too young to really remember. When we arrived Emma was too busy exploring all of Audrey's toys instead of playing WITH Audrey... but she eventually warmed up!
The two girls played and giggled together and it is just so sweet to watch.

We brought them to a gymnastics playcenter- Emma LOVED the trampoline, and spent most of her time jumping on the trampoline or playing in the foam pit. Here she is rolling around in the pit- it was extremely difficult for her to maneuver around in there.

Peek-A-Boo! ....trying to climb out of the pit. (if you ignore the stuffy nose, I think this is the cutest picture ever!)

Road Trip!

2009-12-19T21:14:00.005-05:00

Ahhh, finally! We got on the road last week Thursday morning to head down towards FL. Neither Felix nor I really knew what to expect, travelling with an 18month old and a dog, but we did it! The DVD player and lots of snacks were definitely the key to our successful trip!

And plenty of people warned us that we would drive each other crazy during the wild ride, but to both of our surprise... we didn't even get into one argument! It was really a nice mini family vacation and such a treat to get to spend so much time together.

(this picture was taken on our day trip to Miami.....I didn't get any pictures on our actual road trip to West Palm, but the car was a bit more crammed with stuff!)

We arrived on Saturday afternoon, just in time to enjoy a nice dinner with the family and celebrate Hanukah. Emma picked up the Hanukah traditions pretty quickly, knowing that the menorah needs candles picked out for it, she even started filling in the words to the Hanukah song, and then really enjoyed opening presents. By the 2nd night, she grabbed everyone's presents saying "open, open".

We had a great time visiting Lauren in Miami for her birthday. I especially enjoyed it....... Emma chased Lauren all over the place and had a blast- and then passed out the minute we got in the car!

Then, we threw a small surprise baby shower for my sister- can't believe we were able to keep it a secret the whole time, but we pulled it off!
Emma striking her usual pose for the camera.....

And the guest of honor.... due any day now!!!!

I'm so excited we will be here for the birth of our new baby nephew!!!

Oh Happy Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-12-08T15:47:00.005-05:00

Is it really happening?????? Our kitchen cabinets have arrived!
This has been a long journey, and we are still quite a bit away from being finished, but my goodness, to sit in the living room and look over at our beautiful shell of a kitchen is simply amazing.

Prepping the room for paint...

Ceiling painted. Check. (except the purple paint that was supposed to dry white, didn't quite dry white. so we now have purple ceilings......nothing a coat of paint can't fix!).
Walls painted. Check.

Bring in the cabinets boys!!!!!!!!!!

.
Initial installation...

So there you have it! We have a HUGE peninsula, I'm talking.....EIGHT FEET LONG by FOUR FEET WIDE! I can't believe it!!! I thought it was only going to be 5 feet long, what a nice surprise!

I broke down and ordered laminate countertops. I was really trying to avoid them, but with granite still a few years away in our budget- and the tile seeming to be too big of a project, we went with the laminate. I'm told I won't be disappointed.... we won't see the finished project until we get back from FL, so I'll have to wait a while to see for myself!

Next in goes the tile on the kitchen floor. We have to touch up some paint before we leave town. Oh, so much to do and so little time. But we are ALL more than ready for a nice little vacation!

I am excited to post finished pictures once we get back.... and secretly hoping that maybe Santa will come down our chimney and sweep up all the construction mess off our floors while we are gone!

Show Me Your Muscles!

2009-11-27T20:23:00.004-05:00

Tucking in Matti......

....and snuggling.

MUSCLES!!!!!

Cheek to Cheek

2009-11-24T20:17:00.006-05:00

I told her to put her cheek to me and smile, and she did. But the camera was set for 3 flashes- and she sits there with her eyes closed, posing until the flashes are finished.......

.....so I changed the setting.....and look at how cute she is!

.....back to the closed eye pose....I was hysterical laughing while Felix took the picture.

Here is the tutu I made her for Halloween that she wants nothing to do with. Felix stuck it on her head, which I think is really the only way she lets us put it on her.

"SMILE!" that is what she calls the camera. What a great smile!

Lots of trucks in the driveway as the neighbors were having their driveway paved. The two of them were having a blast running from window to window watching. Emma was giggling as she ran across the house following Matti. Too cute!

Our little dancing machine! Enjoy.

We Hate The Cold!

2009-11-15T14:45:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday, Emma & I met up with some friends at the park- but it was way too cold outside, I don't think anyone was having fun. Emma actually kept her little mittens on the whole time!

Stuffed in the swing with all her winter gear on. We played for about 20 minutes before ditching the park for Panera Bread with our friends for some warm lunch.

We came home for a quick nap and then met our friend Declan at the YMCA indoor playgym. Declan is fearless and so he is teaching Emma how to climb and jump. She was trying to follow him around and more often than not would end up going down head first on these things, but she still had fun! And she is endlessly teething, so still sporting the bib!

......nothing beats a hard day better than a chocolate covered pretzel before bedtime!

Happiness is ON THE WAY!

2009-11-07T12:45:00.005-05:00

One month into the renovation, and the bathroom/laundry room are nearly done. We have some finishing touches left, but it feels nice to have a guest bathroom downstairs and to be able to do laundry in a nice bright & clean room.
Felix breaking in the washer/dryer in the new room for the first time! So exciting.

And here is phase 2. The kitchen.
The wall has been taken down (plastic sheeting is in place of old wall), support beam has been securely put in place, and we are just taking it day by day as work gets done. As soon as we can get the room framed, the floor leveled, electric and plumbing put in, and the drywall put back up- then we are ready to install the cabinets! Of course, after that we have to make the countertops and put down flooring.

It is definitely getting a little rough trying to survive without a kitchen, in a construction zone, with a ruthless, destructive, barking dog and a sweet playful toddler. Our house smells like sawdust when you walk in and it is nearly impossible to keep it even remotely clean. We have finally given in to frozen meals for dinners. I am exhausted, but thankful that we are really able to make this happen.

Halloween

2009-11-03T17:57:00.008-05:00

Picking out a pumpkin at Adam's Farm (I need a new camera that is much more user friendly!).

feeding the goats

conversing with the cows

ahhhhh. true love.

Pumpkin carving time! Felix tried his hardest to carve Elmo out of this pumpkin with just a kitchen knife....

We went trick or treating in our friend Marcys neighborhood with the other kids...Emma was Elmo of course, and Felix- a Black Bear.

Also making their debut was the swine flu, the joker and his ladybugs

After she got her first treat, she promptly sat on the ground waiting to eat it. I thought this was going to be a very long night....

I think her favorite part was petting all the doggies that came to the door.

.....and by the end of the night, she was walking up to the doors by herself!

Elmo!

2009-10-25T19:05:00.006-05:00

I brought Emma to a Halloween party at Gymboree today, dressed as Elmo of course. She had such a blast- running all over the place, playing with her friends and all the toys, singing and dancing. Her costume is a little big for her, but she loved it so much that we just had to get it.

At the end of the party, exhausted.

BIG hug with her buddy Declan.........

.....finishing off the hug with a nice dip on the floor. They love each other!

Loving the maracas. She was the only one who wouldn't give them up when it was time to put them away.

Shaking the parachute.....another favorite.

She climbs up and goes down the slide all by herself now, finally!

Although she is smiling at her friend here.... she was not about to let him into that tube with her- still very possessive with her toys!

Every little kid loves Elmo.... so Emma was being attacked at the party!

BUBBLES! Oh how we love bubbles! I was only able to catch the very end on video of how much fun she was having with the music and bubbles (after she had slowed down a bit)- dancing, yelling 'bubbles' and trying to pop them on the floor. And at the end you hear her say "yeayyy".

Making Progress

2009-10-22T21:30:00.007-05:00

We are well into the renovation. My days of crockpotting dinners and washing/drying/storing dishes in 3 different parts of the house are starting to get to me. I am very much looking forward to getting settled in our new kitchen!

You may recall, this is how our kitchen (turning into bathroom/laundry room) started out. The far right end of the picture is the pine panel basement door.

A few days into the renovation we were left with this (doing dishes):

and now.....we have a wall! and a door!!! That is the basement door, a real wood door! With a real door handle!!! With a lock!!!! What more could a girl ask for? (the fridge is in its temporary spot during all the construction).

This is the floor inside the bathroom/laundry room. Look how uneven the floor is- the wood strips are thick on the right side and really thin on the left- so they could even out the floor. I couldn't believe the difference there was in the room.

More progress in the room.... our neighbor who has been helping coordinate this entire project, and connect us with (his personal friends) the best carpenter, plumber, and electrician.... has been coming over (as a favor to us) after his long day of work to drywall the rooms and ceilings for us in the evenings. He also taught Emma how to fingerpaint in the plaster he was putting on the wall...so now she likes to rub her fingers on the walls. We are so lucky to have such great neighbors- and we can never thank them enough!!!!

View looking inside of Emma's playroom, with new bathroom entrance to the right. I have already painted one coat in the room. The brown wood is going to have drywall put up- so it too will be a real wall! We are slowly eliminating all of this wall paneling!

Looking inside the bathroom where the toilet will go. Currently, we are drying our dishes in that spot! I need to paint the window white.

Small storage closet and washer/dryer closet opposite the window.

This weekend they are trimming out the room and putting in the doors. Then- I will do a 2nd coat of paint. Then- the tiles are going down....the vanity and toilet, washer & dryer go in....and we are ready to go! CAN'T WAIT!!!!!...and then we start the kitchen :) woohoo!

All dressed up with nowhere to go. She found her elmo hat upstairs in her room and insisted on wearing it. When I brought her downstairs, she walked over and grabbed her little purse and monkey and started walking around the house saying "bye, bye, bye". She is too cute these days!
She also picked up a new saying from me. "Oh Boy". She is so funny, I heard her say it for the first time a few days ago. I didn't realize how often I would say that, but usually when I want her to get excited about something I say it to her.... so now, before she eats or gets to watch tv in the car or something- I hear her say "oh boy" in her sweet little voice. It is so cute.

New York City!

2009-10-16T21:01:00.007-05:00

Last week, Emma & I drove to NYC Saturday afternoon for a 5 day visit with my parents, Aunts & Uncles, and cousins who were visiting for a Bat-Mitzvah. As always, it was so wonderful to visit with everyone. Emma was an angel the entire trip- the drive was no problem, and she was so well behaved and social with everyone around us. She was definitely loving all of the attention, hugs & kisses, and new playmates (and cheesecake)!

When we arrived, Emma & I bunked with my parents in their room in the mansion (turned hotel) that everyone was staying in for the celebration. The rooms were gorgeous and we found ourselves wondering what life was like back in the day when a family actually lived in this mansion.

Emma snuggling on her pack-n-play. She even had her own sleeping quarters in the room! (the closet...but it was big enough to fit her bed....!!)

Playing blocks with Aunt Carole

Cousins! These self-portrait shots always turn out awesome, although it does help that Brian has super giant arms.

Emma & Bubbe in the backyard

She really loves picking fresh flowers... she will clear out your entire garden if you let her!

After leaving the hotel in Long Island we went to the city to stay at my Aunt & Uncle's apartment for some more adventures.

Each morning my Aunt Carole would pop in an exercise video and do yoga or toning. Emma quickly joined in....and by the end of the trip, when she saw my Aunt Carole, she immediately pointed to the TV and got into a yoga pose. I didn't get to witness that cuteness, but I can only imagine!

Our first day in the city we went to the Museum of Natural History and visited my Aunt Audrey who was volunteering in the children's room. I have to admit- Emma was having more fun playing with the rocks and stones and looking at the animal displays than I was.

That evening we met even more family in the city for a family style Italian dinner, which was so much fun. I didn't do a good job taking pictures this trip and therefore have no picture of dinner. After dinner, we walked home 30 blocks to work off the eggplant parm, and get a sneak peek of Times Square. So fun. Even little Emma wouldn't close her eyes to snooze in her stroller with all the lights and people outside.

The next day mom & I decided to just take it easy and walk around the city all day. Emma lost her binky somewhere along the walk, so we made a quick stop in Toys R Us to replace that emergency item, then thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at Carnegie Deli- which was an extremely special treat. We split a huge sandwich, and then Emma pretty much dominated the gigantic slice of NY cheesecake that we ordered for dessert.

We finished off the afternoon by spending an hour or so playing in Central Park at one of the playgrounds, and then walked back to the apartment.
That evening I visited my friend Michelle and her new apartment in the Upper East Side and enjoyed a delicious dinner out while Emma had quite an adventurous evening with my mom, Aunts & Uncles.

It was such a great trip, I wish I took more pictures. Emma was perfect the entire trip, and of course, we were excited to get home to Felix who was anxiously awaiting our return!

New Teeth, New Jacket, New Tantrums

2009-10-16T20:31:00.004-05:00

My only guess is that she is getting more teeth, because everyday her shirt is soaked with drool and she is chewing on her finger. Now that it is so cold out, we have to put a bib on her! Here she is posing for the camera with her cute little smile and scrunched eyes.

New Jacket.
Saying she is not a fan of the jacket is an extreme understatement! When we picked it out at the store she refused to even try it on and was pushing me away from her. I snuck up behind her and slid it on her arms before she noticed, just to make sure it fit.

I can't even go near her with the jacket without her thrashing her body all over the place all while screaming 'no, no, no' over and over with a heartbreaking cry of misery. She even takes a second to stop crying- thinks hard and then says as clearly as her little lips can say "offfssss" while pulling at the jacket. And I so badly want to reward her valiant efforts trying to communicate what she wants....my poor baby is so miserable with that jacket on!

I am trying to get her in the habit of always wearing the jacket outside, so this morning when we got home in the driveway and I knew I had time to deal with the inevitable tantrum, I made her put the jacket on before we got out of the car and into the house.

and boy did she have a tantrum! It was about 35 degrees out, and she threw herself on the driveway, screaming while on all fours as I just walked away... she didn't even budge. Nose running, face red, fingers probably frozen to the ground......she kept on having her tantrum. And when I tried to pick her up and carry her inside it only got worse.
Let's just say we have a lot of practicing to do!!!!!
But...what did she want to do once we got inside & I took off the jacket? Go outside!

So she continued her tantrum for about 20 minutes in the house. I was ignoring her, but it wasn't really making a difference, so I decided to go in her playroom and play with her toys hoping she would stop crying and join me. However- I noticed a bug on the windowsill, so I picked up my shoe and smacked it. Sure enough, she walked over, picked up my other shoe- stopped her tantrum, and started smacking the window with the shoe.

I guess I really need to be careful these days! She sure is watching every move I make!!!! Hey- at least it ended the tantrum!!

True Love

2009-10-06T19:37:00.009-05:00

She would even give him the shirt off her back!

This afternoon I was watching her play with Elmo, and had no idea where this came from!

She had Elmo lying on the couch and was trying to put HER shirt on him- I could see it in her face before she even lifted her shirt as she was trying to figure out how to get it on him.

She then proceeded to feed him with her spoon- although, she was a bit distracted by Sesame Street on TV.

.....I think she thought I was saying "eyes" when I told her to say "bye". That face she makes at the end is what she does when we ask her where her eyes are (before poking herself in the eye).

Renovation Day 2!

2009-10-05T19:43:00.007-05:00

I can't believe all of this is actually happening! It is a dream come true!!!

Dining room ceiling ready to be finished!

Former entrance to kitchen....now framed and a temporary sheet of drywall put up to keep Emma out before we put up the permanent wall.

New entrance for the 1/2 bath & laundry room has been created!

A view from inside the room, looking at the closet area for the washer & dryer. Plumbing has even been installed.

And our very deep and narrow storage closet that is next to the W/D closet.

And opposite the W/D closet is going to be the vanity on the left, and the toilet on the right.

baby genius

2009-10-05T21:10:00.004-05:00

i just call it as i see it! hehe

I seriously love just watching her play by herself. She is so interesting to watch as she plays games and dances all on her own. I've seen her go into her playroom and grab a toy, press the button for the music to turn on, and then just start dancing- without even knowing anyone is watching her!

This morning, she walked over to our makeshift kitchen cabinet in the living room, took out a tupperware bowl and then placed her sippy cup inside. So I just sat back and watched to see what she was going to do........

And sure enough, she started to tip the bowl up so she could reach her sippy cup and take a drink. She walked around doing this for a few minutes until she saw me laughing at her...then she would do it and smile at me. What makes her think to do these things?

Later on I pulled out the playdough- which she absolutely loves. I took a small bit out and rolled it into a ball for her, gave it to her and told her to smoosh it on the table. She did, then handed it back for me to put in a ball "ball, ball, ball". And as I rolled it in my hands I would count "1....2.....3!". We did this about 50 times. And everytime I got to "3" she would yell "YEAY!" and grab onto my pants while stomping her feet out of pure excitement to see the newly formed pink ball. Her enjoyment of this activity that I usually dread playing....was truly contagious!

Last night we had a special visitor over for dinner- Patrick came by from MIT to play with Emma and she took right to him. See how she is holding drum by the handles? She carried it like this to him all the way from her playroom- looked like she could have been the drummer in the marching band!

...you would never know by her cheery personality (minus the constant temper tantrums these past few days when she didn't get what she wanted)... but we went to the doctor this afternoon for her 15 month check-up, and my little chichi has an ear infection! After her 3 shots and some poking and proding, she did ok and was happy to be in the car on the way home to recover.

Design Ideas......seeking your advice!!!!

2009-10-05T20:53:00.006-05:00

In anticipation for our total home makeover, I am trying to compile decorating ideas that will all flow together and create the look I have always been dreaming of.
A nice, cozy, welcoming, cottage-chic home with a clean crisp airy feeling!

Here is our color palette I think we will continue to use downstairs: our main color is harvest brown, accented by a barely there blue and a witch hazel green, and dark brown.

Bathroom fixtures- our neighbors put this vanity in their 1/2 bath and I am in love.

Kitchen knobs & pulls. I definitely want the cup pull for the drawers, but I am toying with the idea of putting in a ring pull (with a finish that matches) instead of just a knob on the doors. Thoughts??

We have decided to tile our countertops with large 12x12 tiles in a dark grey/black flat tile and dark grout. This tile reminded me of what we picked out, but it appears more brown in this picture, plus it has light grout.

Now for lighting in the dining room.... I really like this chandelier, but I am not sure if it goes with the rest of the decor....

This one might do the job, and it is oh so shabby chic!....but is it too feminine for my big man????

I can't decide on the color the tile should be in the floor of the white cabinet kitchen. It will come right up to our dark brown wood floors, so I don't know what to do. I also cannot decide what color to paint the 1/2 bathroom walls, or tile the floor. Any ideas are appreciated!!!

Strong Girl!

2009-09-29T14:48:00.004-05:00

Emma has been my little puppet lately! She repeats most things I ask her to say, and usually gets any toy I ask her to go play with. She is absolutely adorable, and has so much fun playing with us. You should see how her eyes sparkle when she is playing with her Daddy before bedtime....it is my favorite time of the day. She giggles uncontrollably as he tickles her and throws her all over the place. Felix has also discovered that she will do whatever he asks.... so have no fear if the remote control is on the other side of the couch....Emma is to the rescue!

And she is one strong little girl! In these next 2 pictures I said "Emma, show me your muscles", and she flexes for us! When I try to get her to do the traditional bicep pose she gets confused and throws both arms up in the air for "how big is emma? sooooo big"

No sense in pushing the wheeled toy when she can just carry it!

I said "smile for the camera" and she stood here like this until the flash went off....then blinked a few times to adjust her eyes from the light. To me- she is the most adorable little thing ever.

She is a big fan of Barney (binney) and Elmo lately. She eats off her Elmo placemat, so when she wants food she does all of these things together (1) signs eat (2) says eat (3)points to the table saying Elmo, Elmo, Elmo....
When she wants to watch TV she throws the remote in our lap saying "binney, binney, binney" until we turn it on. I used to tell her Barney was sleeping, but I think she knows he is On Demand.

If These Walls Coud Talk!

2009-09-26T18:39:00.004-05:00

Day 1 of renovations: kitchen gutted, dining room ceiling taken down, laundry room ceiling taken down and part of wall exposed.

Our "new" kitchen we are using during the renovation. Notice our pantry in the back corner behind the baby gate.

The dining room ceiling(s) were taken down, and the room looks so much bigger. There were 2 layers of ceiling up there and a whole mess of construction crap between the two of them. It was disgusting.

Front view into our old kitchen. Without those old pantry walls on either side, it looks so much bigger! There was..... get ready..... 4. yes, FOUR layers of flooring in that room! Unbelievable. They have already framed the new wall to go up.

Laundry room (new kitchen) ceiling. Looks like it won't be as high as I was hoping, but they tell me we can get an extra foot, so I am happy with that!

They exposed part of the wall today to see what was behind the wallboard.... and it is the exterior wall. This room is an addition to the house. All this stuff is so interesting to see!!

Look what was found inside the walls!!!! Don't know what it is, but it is a tool of some sort. They also found the leg and shoe from a doll. So, here is my theory:

I think a long long time ago, they were building a wall in the house and it was halfway built. The little girl who was living here dropped her babydoll in the wall and got it stuck, then her daddy tried to get it out with this tool and it too got stuck. But they were able to pull the doll out severing it's leg in the process. Just a thought. I should be on HGTV.

Here We Go Again......

2009-09-22T22:07:00.009-05:00

In just 4 short days, we will begin Phase 2 (of 2 million) of our home renovations....the kitchen!

The Plan: Turn the current laundry room into the kitchen. Turn the current kitchen into a half bath and laundry room.

So here are pictures of our current layout for my own personal documentation.

Entrance to kitchen:

-Right side of galley kitchen. Cabinets are so low, we cannot even keep any appliances on the countertops. Had to buy an extra small coffee maker to fit!

-Left side of galley kitchen: Fridge, microwave cart, oven.

Current Storage Solutions:
toaster, microwave, pots & pans storage, and cutting boards!

storage for cooking utensils sitting on window sill & a suction cup hook for pot holders & measuring cups!

one of a kind cabinets........

my 3 drawers in the kitchen. they always get stuck.

pantry doors on either side of kitchen that can only hold a can of soup. I would never put food items in there anyways, these freak me out.

So, the plan is to close up the current entrance to the kitchen and put a door around the corner as an entrance to the half bath and laundry room.

And here..... is where we plan to put the kitchen. The wall off our living room.

The wall is going to come down so we are able to create a "great room" with lots of light!

Here is where we plan to put the new kitchen; the inside of our current laundry room (already renovated once by yours truly).

As a bonus, we are going to try and raise the ceiling in our dining room......

and build a coat closet!

Yeay for renovations!!!!!
I am kind of nervous! During construction (which may last 4 weeks), the house will not be very baby proofed, so I have a feeling our days will be a bit busier than usual. I will also be out of a kitchen! We will have a temporary sink, but no storage, countertops, etc. I have started researching crockpot recipes!

We are also doing this project in phases, so we are going to get a bit creative with new kitchen cabinets and storage solutions until we decide on the final product!

Here is my inspiration picture for the kitchen. I love white cabinets and black countertops with the cottage look. These have the fancy legs which I don't think we will be getting, but still a general idea of the style we are thinking of.

Can't wait to post progress pictures!!!!

Getting Ready for the Holidays

2009-09-17T20:02:00.006-05:00

For some reason, I feel like this photo of Emma with my keys in her hand is giving me a sneak peek into the future:

"Seriously mom, I don't have time for a lecture right now, I'm late meeting my friends!"

Whenever we come inside, Emma likes to take my keys and stick them into random holes in things. She was trying to stick it into an old unusused phone jack on the wall (scratching the wall during her attempt), so I tried to direct her attention to her kitchen refrigerator door instead....

-yes, all outlets are covered.

When Felix got home, she followed him around and pointed him to go to her playroom. It was the cutest thing ever! Once he walked in there with her, she said "book" with her hands up.... as if she was asking if he would like to read a book.

Emma & I made Challah together in celebration of Rosh Hashanah. It was a first for both of us! If you ask her what she made today she will softly say... 'alla'.

She had her little dough ball, and the pastry brush that was dipped in egg. I told her to brush the ball. Apparently, 'brush' is a key word for her......

What? I'm not supposed to put raw eggs in my hair??

Our trial masterpieces! We made 2 batches since my first batch messed up a bit because I attempted to use fast yeast or something... anyways, we now have one big round challah, one braided, and a cinnamon raisin loaf. I took the recipes from Emma's Jewish Cookbook that she got from PJ Library.- the pressure is on for the big taste test!!!!!

Here are our 5 mini round loaves we did as a trial. They will taste much better with a little butter!

DEEEEEEEELICIOUS!

So Big So Soon!

2009-09-13T19:02:00.003-05:00

Wearing my headband as a sweatband on our way to the gym. She is starting to 'like' the childcare at the gym and has made good friends with the sitter Gladys. She even blows kisses when we leave. It is so relieving to be able to go and not have to worry about her too much!! She is looking a bit hesitant in the picture here, I think she wasn't quite awake yet.

Our big girl has joined us at the dinner table. I needed to get her a booster seat for our travels when we stay with friends & family, and after testing it out at home we have decided to use it here as well. It has a removable tray and it is much nicer to have her right at the table with us while eating. (Plus, it is much easier to bring the booster seat rather than the highchair into our bedroom for her to safely sit in and have breakfast while I am rushing to get ready in the morning)

Although we have decided to keep her in the booster seat, neither Felix nor I wanted take down the high chair and bring it in the basement.... we just aren't ready for baby Emma to grow up!!!!

Learning at the dinner table! We were playing with her placemats during dinner tonight and I told her to put her green bean on Elmo, and she did. Then I said to do it to Big Bird...and she did..... I was so surprised by how much she knew just from this placemat, I had to take a pix!!!!!

Green beans correctly placed on Big Bird, Elmo, and Oscar the Grouch! There is one on Grover but I didnt tell her to put it there...I think it was just leftover. Who is the turquoise guy all the way on the left? And is that Abby Cadabby next to Ernie (or Burt?). I think I need a crash course in Sesame Street!

Good Ol' Start of the Season!

2009-09-08T14:06:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again! Water Polo season has begun and Emma & I went out to Cambridge to watch them play this weekend.

They won this game in triple overtime. Very intense for the first game of the season! Emma did pretty well, this pool is nice because it has the glass wall at the bottom of the bleachers so she could see the pool and the ball (her favorite), and she loved going up and down, and up and down, and up and down....the steps. A lot.

Trying to whistle like her Saba. Just kidding- she is probably trying to eat a cheerio or something she picked up off the floor.

Chasing the ducks at the park near home. Felix came with us to this park for the first time and it was so nice for Emma- she likes playing outside with her big strong Daddy! He showed her how to go across the monkey bars and she thought it was pretty funny.

run Emma, run!

Favorite toy of the week. We brought in the extra car seat we were using during Audrey's visit and Emma just can't keep herself out of it. Not the safest toy for her to play in when I am not looking...but she is getting better at maneuvering herself in it! It will go down in the basement as soon as Felix has time (as I DO NOT go in that basement alone.......or even with someone else!!!!).

A Shopping Trip That Would Make My Aunt Carole Proud!!!

2009-09-08T13:43:00.003-05:00

I have started couponing!!! I mean.... SERIOUS couponing.

I had been thinking about doing it since June when my good friend Gina mentioned it, but it looked like too much work. Then I was at the store one day and the cashier asked me if I had any coupons upon checking out. I did not, and all I could think of was....'wow, how much am I overpaying right now..and the cashier knows it!'?? Sure enough, a fellow blogger friend of mine posted some links that she likes to use for couponing, and BAM! I was hooked!

My motivation was seeing how much I could really save- and being able to put that money towards classes Emma & I could do together this winter (Gymboree, etc.).

The concepts are easy, and I am just learning (I pretty much only used the 20% off Bed Bath & Beyond coupons in my life). I am learning what the 'highest' price I will pay for something is... like meat, etc. and then also stockpiling on basic supplies when the prices are 'rock bottom' and I use my coupons.

SO- after a few weeks, here is my best trip yet and I am so proud!
I went to Target to take advantage of some great deals they were having:

Let me tell you what you see in this picture:

4 Boxes of cereal

1 Box of granola bars

3 Bottles of dish soap

3 Bottles of face wash (my favorite kind)

2 Bags of shredded cheese

6 Deodorants! Yes sir...6 Deodorants!!!!

And the grand total?

$14.90

Oh you read that right!!!! $14.90!!!! I ended up saving $52.17 on items that we needed that will last us a long time.

Now I just need to find more storage space!

Catherine & Audrey's Visit

2009-08-31T13:52:00.007-05:00

A quick video to capture the fun we had during Cat & Audrey's visit. Audrey has just recently learned to "stomp" from a Sesame Street video she was watching, so she was showing off her new skills this evening!

It has been very quiet around here since they left, we are so sad!

Good Times with Great Friends!

2009-09-02T21:30:00.006-05:00

Catherine & Audrey came to visit us for 5 whole days! We kept very busy, doing "2-a-days" where we would do things with the kids BOTH before & after naptime! We all had so much fun together- wish we lived closer. We took A TON of pictures, so this is a long picture filled post!

They arrived Friday afternoon in Boston- once we got home the kids sat down for a snack and got to know each other!

Auntie Carrie arrived early the next morning and Audrey was so excited to see her Auntie, she gave her a hairbow just like hers.

We loved having Auntie Carrie visit too- she entertained the kids the whole time! Emma loves sitting in laps now, she picks up books and brings it over to you saying "lap, lap". Then tries to step on you.

It rained all day so we stayed inside and played, then after naps we went shopping and let the kids run around the store together, then met Felix for dinner.

Early the next morning, both girls waiting to put their shoes on so we can take our walk to the park.

After the park we ate a quick lunch at Panera and then Carrie had to make the long 6 hour drive back home. So sad to see her go. I cooked a lovely dinner at home that evening for the whole crew.

And the next morning we left bright & early for the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence. Audrey wanted to push her own stroller, so this is how we walked around the zoo all day.

Playing with the little water fall on the statue of fish....

Emma signing "fish" while making her water sound noises "blup blup blup"

Holding hands for a stroll in the zoo... too cute!

That night after we put the kids to bed, Felix stayed home to babysit while Cat & I went to the movies! It had been almost 2 years since I had been inside a movie theater! We saw Julie & Julia which I thought was really good. And the next night we rented Twilight as Cat tried to convince me to read the rest of the series. I am dying to know what happens at the end but don't want to read all the books!!!

Tubbie Time! They had a lot of fun pouring water on each other and touching toes. They both knew how to say each others name and would call for the other one when it was time for bed- or if they didn't see each other.

Cat took this picture as proof that they eventually DID learn to share! Audrey is sharing her snacks with Emma before heading out to the Childrens Museum in Providence that day.

The museum was a lot of fun- playing with the balls in the water room. These rubber smocks they give out were lifesavers! Audrey took a bucket and poured it all over herself....but the smock kept her dry (enough).

After we left the museum we made a quick stop near Brown for lunch and a visit to see Felix at practice. We came home for a nap and then left again to visit the park near our house that has the animals out- followed by some run around time at Babies R Us and dinner at the mall.

Audrey, me & Emma having fun on the swings.

just a fun picture of storytime....

Matti was such a good boy, he was gentle and behaved himself. And Audrey liked the "puppy" who says "woof woof". I was very relieved!

Having fun in the mall playzone playing in the airplane.

Dinner at Bertuccis. Emma saw me dipping my bread in the oil, and so she did the same- one piece at a time. And Audrey... well.... Audrey liked to shake the parmesan cheese on her plate and that was all she would eat for dinner.

Best Friends Forever!!!