Time with Mom

Staring off in different directions.  Sitting on the steps that C made.

Double chin and Mama fussing with Ivan's onesie.

Precious baby feet.

The hands.  How do they not get you?

Talking.  Good conversation.

Cutest little boy ever.  And his Auntie B DOES rock.  For sure.

Photos taken by L, C's mom, I's grandma.

Fourteen Weeks: Late Night Family Time

So awake on the changing table.  Probably talking too.  Will you go to sleep tonight?

Peeking over Dad's shoulder is a good time.

That's your place, Monkey Man!

Talking with Mama, trying to get to sleep.  Notice how long he's getting!

G&G/G&L/C's parents came up this evening and L took all of these photos!

Hanging Out in Bed

So serious, Ivan?



Oh, we want to move, huh?



Swivel those hips!



Go for it!



And we're having a conversation with mom.



Way to show off that chin roll, Buddy. You are the most beautiful boy ever. No lies.


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A Question

And how are you today?



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Thirteen Weeks: The Many Faces of Ivan

A bit fuzzy, but a genuine smile.



Whoa!



That was funny!



I'm serious.



Trying for serious.



Yeah.


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Busted Waterline Leads to New Steps

After we returned from two and a half weeks at both N&A's and my parents', we were home for less than a day and our water stopped working. Instead of asking me if I paid the bill (of course!), C went down to the basement and found 3-4 inches of water. Within four hours (last remembered time of water usage), the water main broke right outside the house and water was pouring in through the wall. So C hopped into the water meter and shut the water off there and let our two sump pumps empty the basement. As most homeowners know, a break between the meter and your house is your problem, so my incredibly handy and knowledgable husband began calling around to rent a backhoe.

Within 48 hours we had a trench dug, porch decking removed, waterline replaced (correct pipe & connectors used, laid at appropriate depth, set in fine sand), waterline buried, water on in the house and a happy me, because somehow my awesome husband did all of that for under $400. If we would have called a guy, it would have been in the thousands (one of dozens of blessings).

In digging the trench for the new waterline, they (we had some awesome help from friends B, M, and S AND D, B, and B were able to watch Ivan and love on him) found the old waterline and figured that a leak or break was inevitable with how it was done. Our break was probably due to settling foundation (all our doors are now difficult to close) in these drought like conditions. Anyway, the guys had to take out the sidewalk we were going to take out anyway to run the new waterline.

The yard all put back together: dirt. But please admire the porch!



So C has been working on laying a concrete pad in front of our side door (the one we use 99% of the time) so that we can have steps right in front of the door! He'll also lay a short sidewalk out to the driveway, which will make life, in general, so much easier. Think unloading groceries, loading Ivan, getting the dogs into the trucks. All easier.

Measuring, prepping, something.



Beginnings. So awesome and useful!



Handiwork: brand new concrete slab, repurposed and rebuilt steps in progress.



C really is the best and most useful husband ever.

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Decking the Porch (March)

So we've been doing some work on our huge wrap around porch in the last few months. Mom & Dad came up in late March to help us tear off the top of the porch (rotten) and deck it. Thankfully the support structure was treated lumber and in good shape.

The minds at work on how to accomplish this task:



Big porch. Looked pretty bad. A friend's big dog (weighed at least as much as me) went through the porch in that one spot. Was not hurt.



The edges were breaking off the worst because they were left open to the elements and got moisture in them. Dangerous.



Good underpinnings. Pregnant belly.



Hard at work.



Pregnant still, but the part in front of the door is done!



How pretty is that? They even did the corner all nice!



It really looks all clean and new right now. We've been enjoying it since April, I think, and it makes the house look so much nicer. Now, we just need to stain it and box-in/repair the "ceiling" of the porch. Some of our neighbors have their porch ceilings painted light bluegreen and told us it was so that muddobbers (?) wouldn't build nests in the corners - anyone know if that's true?

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On the Porch with Friends

Our friend K was driving by and had to stop and see what was going on. Thankfully, little man was in a good mood, if still a little bit hungry (beware ye with chests, he is an adamant breastfed baby!).




They match in their white & turquoise. I K misses her own grandkids!




I'm happy he could be so charming after his long day: we did not have a morning nap, but did walk all over L.owes in the carrier. We bought a little bit of lumber and a lot of concrete - any guesses on the home improvement project? Then we rushed home and drove all the way up to KCMO (an hour + with two important detours) for a wonderful baby shower for my friend A. We left C at home working on said home improvement project. Little man slept part of the way up town, fussed, was charming at the shower, and cried/whimpered all the way home. I'm still getting the hang of planning around his needs and schedule. When we came home, C had so much done on his project! Pictures to come!

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Fuzzy Smile

Home with Daddy. In K-State sleeper for the first time (we're raising a little Wildcat over here!).




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Sleeping

Sleepy baby all tucked in. Another exhausting day with Daddy.



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Too Cute

This is a not a great photo of the adorable outfit Ivan was given by his great uncle & aunt & C's cousin. He was able to wear it to church this morning!




What we really caught on camera here is an attempt to roll over! Feet are up! And leaning!




More leaning!




Some kicking and flailing!




More for another day.




"Why's Mom looking at me?"




Super cute nakedish baby!




"Hey! Hey! Mom! Are you going to pick me up or what?"



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He's a Stud

Saturday stylin' in our white "Here Comes Trouble" onesie and super bright plaid cargo shorts.




This is our weird face.




Just chillin'.




The most beautiful face ever. Obviously photos were taken before Ivan pooped out of his diaper, through his onesie, through his shorts, and onto my PJ pants. He's still too cute.




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