Kitchen update

I know that many of you (DAD) have been waiting to see how the kitchen has been doing...it kinda stalled for a bit with how crazy things have been here w/ the holidays and getting over colds and stuff...

But here you go.

The island is in. And if you are wondering what the coutertop is made of...Dad got hold of a piece of an alley from the bowling alley that was being dismantled in Morhead City - and yep - we got it and it stayed in the garage till about 11pm one night Timbo had a revelation! It would make a great countertop!!!! How cool is that. So yeah - it is a little "ecclectic" - but I guess it goes along with our "style".

As you can see from one of the pics..we're still working on the tile. We had a little snag when Timbo found one of the girder under the house was completely split in two. When the washing machine was being installed for the first time, evidentally whoever was doing the drilling for the drain, went square through the girder. Over time it just split right in two and we had a pretty good slope going on in the kitchen. A beam and a jack later - and it is getting fixed!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Well it is now Christmas afternoon! All the presents have been opened..breakfast has been eaten...THANKS Richard and Blair that was awesome as usual!

Just thought I'd share a few snaps from this morning!

And a little video for your viewing enjoyment!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plM-gDTj-YU

She lost TWO teeth in one night....

....but we think she swallowed one...She was sitting watching the Grinch...and jumped up because she had been playing with them..caught one between her gum and lip...but couldn't find the other...and of course the carpet she was on was the super-camo-kid-friendly carpet....we hunted - but couldn't find it - so we wrote the tooth fairy a note! I think she'll understand!

Josie Updates...Neuro Follow-up

We went back to the neuro this morning for a follow-up. I guess just a formality since we got the "normal" results for the EEG over the phone the week after the testing.

The dr. asked about her hearing test and Early Intervention Eval.

The hearing test - there was mild hearing loss evidence - but she was also getting over croup so they are re-testing her tomorrow to make sure they got accurate results and that the cold was not effecting it.

Early Inter. - she's qualified for the program - and speech therapy will be the course of action - after the hearing re-test.

The neuro dr. said he'd see her again in 5 months to see how she was responding to the speech therapy. If she didn't seem to be progressing, then that would be cause for more testing (MRI, genetic, etc.).

So we're in the wait and see holding pattern.....

Josie Updates...Early Intervention Evalualtion

Today Josie had her Early Intervention Evaluation. Guess it is kinda bittesweet...??? She qualified for the program ...because she has severe speech delay...but now she can start getting the help she needs to overcome this.The team that came today was great!

Timbo was able to take the day off (well work from home) so that he could be part of it too! And of course Miss Josie performed for them! LOL They were all smitten with her by the end of the eval. They were impressed with the amount of sign language she knew...and how well she used it. I was even surprised how well she performed on a few tasks!

So - next week she gets her hearing retested - week before last she showed a mild hearing loss...but that could have been due to the head cold she was getting over so they are retesting to be sure. Then once that is complete, they'll recommend a speech evaluation and more than likely speech therapy.

Hopefully we're well on our way to getting this little one to talk our ears off like the other two do! I know that sounds strange! Because YES - my little talkers can be a challenge sometimes...but when you see your child trying to express herself...and not being able to make any words...it is frustrating...I just want to hear those funny pronuciations and cute ways of explaining things..and "I WUV YOU MOMMY" LOL

On a VERY positive note...she DOES call me 'mama' now! she's babbled that sound for awhile...but she's finally using it to "call" me or get my attention...tells people who I am...that is SUCH a good feeling! I can't wait to hear more!

One funny thing she does - and man can she do it well...is use the "all done" and "stop" signs. She can be very stern when using them...there is NO mistaking when she does NOT want a nap or get in the tub...or when she's had enough of a diaper change! LOL

Rough couple weeks...

So the kitchen has kinda stalled...between stomach bugs, that vicious head cold that is going around..and croup with 2 out of 3 kids..then Timbo gettin a new "used" truck that needed a motor...it was hard to find time to get back on it...but that is gonna happen this week.

In the meantime, I guess I needed something to do...I found an old dresser at Goodwill this morning for $20!! It was white and pink...but Kelley Ann and I thought it would look good if we changed the pink to blue/green like the ocean...and put fish on it...

So in a span of about 45 min, I unload it and "refinish" it. All it needs is the "fish". Haven't fully decided if I'm gonna paint them on or find some "wallies" to stick on there! But it is already in the room and full of Josie's clothes!! (So nice to get rid of the plastic drawers I had in there)

The end of an era

It is after 12 - and Timbo is determined to hide it for good.

Goodbye ugly green flooring -

HELLO - pretty tile!!!

Half-way there - Kinda Sorta

This weekend we finished up the dining room side...put up all the trim, I painted my stripes and the trim...then tonight we moved furniture over so we could get to the OTHER half. LOL (you'll understand when you see the pictures!) Timbo kinda compared it to a set on a stage...if you have your blinders on, it looks so complete and beautiful on one side...the other side is reality LOL - We think another 2-3 weeks and we'll be done!

It looks really good. I wasn't too sure about the stripes at first...(they won't stay that covered up forever - just have to get the other half done to spread the furniture back out...not sure it was exactly what I was going for...but at least my lines are straight!

Guess I could have finished cleaning off the table before taking the picture...but I'm tired...and there are still tools laying around..you can see the hose for the compressor still laying down the hallway...

Little Happenings....with the "Littlest"

Well, Miss Josie is being her cute little self...but I wanted to update friends and family about what is going on with her....Most of you I've told, but in case I've missed someone...here is a little recap.

With Josie's tiny size, and being in the UNDER 5% range for height and weight...AND added to that her not speaking - not even the word NO - which is every 2 year old's favorite word, her pediatrician's office recommended a genetic evaluation. So we did it, figured it would rule stuff out. It came back normal. Well - now back to square one on why she's little and not talking.

So back to the peds office for her 2 year old checkup...the dr. said they feel confident that since the eval. came back normal, and her liver functions all seem ok...that she just must gonna be tiny...but they'll still keep an eye on her growth - but for now, there is not a major concern.

But now for the speech. I had heard from a from a friend about Apraxia. After some reading, I couldn't believe how many of the characteristics she had. Here is a great site for it, http://www.apraxia-kids.org/. (Basically there is no intellectual issues...she thinks in her head she knows how to say words...but the connection from brain to mouth isn't there - she just can't get the sounds out right...but tries!) So many characteristics fit under the description for that disorder. So when we went to the peds, I told her what I found about Apraxia. After some discussion, and because I was still concerned with her "eye issue" (Where her eyes would tend to float out, kinda like lazy eye - but when doing that she stared into space) the dr. recommended seeing a pediatric neurologist.

SO - we go to that consult last week. He said other than the speech delay and the eye issue I described...she seemed to be developmentally normal. She's as smart as a whip! He recommended getting an EEG to rule out seizures during the eye episodes.

So this past Thur. We go for an EEG...

So Josie got all the electrodes attached...didn't like it at first then tolerated it. They get us set up in the room...and there we go...I was suppose to push the "seizure" button when I saw her have one of her episodes...

I saw 2...So about 4.5 hours into it...the "observer" comes back...tells me it is almost over..and asks me what I "saw" when I pushed the button - so I explained the "eyes floating out and her staring off into space"...she goes on to discuss what is gonna happen next..I ask her "so DID YOU see anything when I pushed the button?" Because it was all recorded (oh, forgot to mention that there was a video camera in the room trained on Josie the entire time)...The observer says, "the dr. will discuss any results with you...do you have a follow up scheduled" I tell her I do but it is at the end of Oct....she replies with "Oh, you'll hear from him before then"

And previously the dr. told us if anything was detected, he'd contact us sooner than the scheduled follow-up.

Later, when the tech was removing all the things from her head, (different than the observer lady), he says, we don't discuss results with you, but I can tell you that if an emergency situation/finding had happened, the dr. would have been called. And that didn't happen -OK - so, now, in my head, I KNOW they saw SOMETHING...it wasn't "an emergency" thing...but there is obviously something there...

And I'm glad that I followed through with this...but at the same time, now I'm sitting on pins and needles wondering what the heck my daughter has been having for over a year's time with this eye issue...tons of other questions, have these little episodes done irreversible damage? Is this why she's not talking?

I just put the thought in my head...she's healthy, she's giggly...she's perfect...and whatEVER this "thing" is....she's still OK right now.

She was the hit of the office though - she had to wear her pink cowgirl boots today..she had 5 people watching her get her electrodes in because they just thought she was the cutest thing....(I think so too!)

Here are some photos so you can see how cute she was with her special hat!
(here is daddy putting the cowboy boots BACK on - she didn't want to take them off)


See - no issues with anything...she was even able to chill and get some reading in!! LOL



This was her on the TV - they had a camera on her the whole time...she liked seeing herself up there!

Update - we have TILE

Well Timbo started laying tile yesterday. He didn't have to go in and add any additional support as we initially thought, it was already there...so it was time for tile...

After Martin helping lay the last few pieces of backerboard...it was time to mix mortar...


Here are a few snaps of how it went.

No renovation update...but it has been 10 years..

Ten years since Timbo and I tied the knot down in Morehead City. Almost thought we weren't going to - since Hurricane Bonnie just wouldn't LEAVE US ALONE!!! But for all the stress and last minute adjustments, it was the best day of our lives!

I don't want to get all mushy - but just know - while we've had the normal ups and downs of any marriage...the bigger picture...the wonderful life we've built together...has never diminished. We are just amazed at the life we have some days...how we got such beautiful, smart, funny children that never give us a dull moment, how well we work together on these big, seemingly spontaneous projects....and just the fact that what we have, fills us completely....we are truley the richest people in the world.

OK _ enough with the mush!!!!
:)

Update....we're getting ready for tile

I can't believe it has just been over a week...but the wall is down, new sheetrock is up...final skim coat needs to be on....the re-wiring is done for the most part...we're trying to fix a couple squeaks in the floor and we're gonna do some re-enforcing - since we're adding a pretty hefty layer of 20x20 inch tiles...not to mention, hopefully granite countertops EVENTUALLY! LOL....

As you can see from the photos...we've had lots of help!

And it continues

We've progressed with the renovation!
The wall between the kitchen and DR was actually down by Saturday at 2 a.m. Saturday - at reasonable hours - Timbo went and purchased the majority of the materials we were gonna need. (Tile, backerboard, mortar, sheetrock, the electrical supplies..)

I just had to throw one shot in there of the kiddies! They think it is awesome that we're "making a new house" LOL. Martin even got to help Daddy under the house with the electrical changes...

Oh Miss Josie - poor pitiful girl...she was stuck in the house with mommy while the big kids were running around outside and helping daddy under the house...

Just because we're a little big crazy

We decided at 9:30p.m Thurs. night to start a major renovation! YES WE'RE outta our minds! LOL

It has been a long time coming..and somehow my little idea to just get rid of the carpet in the DR - turned into removing two walls, laying down tile in the kitchen and DR areas, pulling off the old paneling, re-sheetrocking..and all that goes with that...re-wiring, replacing molding, etc.

Here are some of the images I caught after we had already gotten started...I'll have to find some of the TOTALLY before shots...