Excuse the mess, we're busy making memories

My older sister is a neat freak. She, her husband, their four children, two bulldogs, two snakes, and two bearded dragons (and whatever frogs, caterpillars, lizards or other wildlife my niece happens to bring home that day) live in military housing. They move every few years and typically end up in 1200 square foot duplexes with little storage space. She is in a constant battle between cleaning up/cleaning out and just enjoying kids being kids. Despite shoes and toys scattered about from time to time, her floors and bathrooms and kitchen are always clean. And yet, she is constantly heard saying, "sorry my house is such a mess."

Years ago I found a little sign for her to hang in her entryway, "excuse the mess, we're busy making memories." I thought it might help her stop apologizing for real life. 'Cause that's what messes are - real life. I now find myself in the same place as her. Erked by the everyday mess a 1 year old, dog, and two busy adults make and never finding the time or budget to realize that perfect vision for a room. It's time to embrace real life.

There is so much not perfect about our dining space - the table that needs to be refinished, the beautiful rug that just doesn't fit in with the rest of the space, the temporary chandelier until we find the perfect know-it-when-you-see-it permanent one, the view of the neighbor's boarded up windows - and yet, it's perfect. I love the way the sun shines across the table in the morning, the way the big windows let the outside in, the way dusk envelopes us as we eat dinner, and the way it says to our friends and family - come, gather, sit, eat. Make memories.

My mother-in-law has a table in her kitchen that has nicks, scratches, paint splatters, water rings, and any other wood imperfection you could think of. I overheard Alex explaining to her how she could easily sand and refinish the table to make it look new again. "Why would I do that, " I heard her respond, "I'd lose all the memories."

Just before we moved in to Norcross, we found an old wood table at ReStore that was the perfect size and shape for our new dining space. It needed some TLC, but we loved its bones. We thought refinishing and whitewashing it would be one of the first projects we've cross off the 127 item to do list after moving in, but it remains in it's imperfect condition. We've even added some of own memories. Paint from easter egg decorating with my niece and nephews, water rings from the big mason jar Alex likes to drink out of, food stuck in the crack where Davis eats/plays with his food (eww), and bite marks on a leg from Tad or one of his friends. Even one of our perfect new white chairs is showing love. A red scratch that must be from squeezing one of our old red chairs in so a large crowd could gather.

All this is to say, I'll start sharing more of our home. But, excuse the mess, we're busy making memories.

Davis - 3 months

You've been with us for three months. Technically, 12. A whole year. That surprised/happy/anxious/holy sh*t feeling that hit me the moment that little + sign showed up still hasn't left. We have our routines now and we can't imagine life without you, but I'm still grasping that I'm a mom. I'm a mom. I have to take a deep breath every time I think/say/write that.

These pictures were taken in our living room in our new house. We finally moved in on August 29, just a few days after your two month birthday. The rug you are laying on is the one mommy and daddy stood on when they got married last year. Our anniversary was one of many events this past month.

You gained a new nickname this month - lollipop, 'cause you're tall and skinny with a big ol' head.

We think your eyes are going to end up blue like daddy's. I think you are also going to have your daddy's energy and strength. You don't like to sit still much. When we're walking you like to face out and absorb the world around you. You want to stand all the time (with us holding you up, of course). Your little legs and arms seem so strong for how small they are.

As I said above, we moved into Norcross when you were nine weeks old. We survived our first sickness together (mama had a pretty serious cold) and you started sleeping in your real crib in your nursery.

At ten weeks you finally started playing with toys. Over the course of the month you went from punching and staring at your toys to grabbing them and putting them in your mouth. Though toys are not required - you also love to shove your fingers/fist in your mouth any chance you get. And you are drooling like crazy! We have to keep a drool bib on you at all times or you'll soak through your clothes in a matter of minutes.

At eleven weeks Aunt Genna came to visit. Aunt Genna has a very animated face and voice - you loved staring at her while she spoke and babbling with her. Your babbling went from the occasional grunt and coo to all out conversation this month. Your favorite time to babble is just after your first morning feeding. You sit on my lap, stare into my eyes, smile, laugh, and babble as long as I'll let you.

At twelve weeks Aunt Jill and cousin Olivia came to visit. Neither one of them could get enough of you. Olivia especially loved reading to you and playing with you.

Around twelve weeks is also when you rolled from your back to your tummy for the first time. It made me nervous because you did it in your crib while you were swaddled. Now we're working on getting you to sleep out of a swaddle.

At thirteen weeks/three months mommy spent her first night away from you. She spent a night in Atlanta with some of her girlfriends. We all did great!

Sleep. You're doing pretty well. Your scheduled hasn't changed too much - just shifted an hour earlier. You eat some time between 3 and 5 am, and then about every 3 hours after that until you go to bed at 7. You've gone many nights straight until your feeding time (one night you even made it until 6 am!), but you have started a bad habit of waking and demanding your pacifier around 1 am. We're hoping you'll be able to soothe yourself back to sleep when this happens and you are out of the swaddle. We'll see! Naps aren't as routine as feedings. You nap frequently, but your nap schedule is not predictable.

This is my last month at home with you. I'm trying to enjoy every moment with you - even the moments where I'm exhausted, your crying, and we're both covered in spit up.

Norcross Now

It felt like it might never happen, but we finally moved into Norcross. On August 29, 2015 there was still a long list of things that needed to be done to the house, but we couldn't wait any longer. The date was pushed back five (five!) times.

We shared some before photos of the house way back in June 2014. Then, we shared the plans in February 2015. Now, finally, here are the after renovation shots. We like old stuff and tried to keep the spirit of the original house wherever possible. 

Front of house - porch and sidewalk added, new windows and paint, lots of landscaping to be done!

View of street from front porch - Restoration Hardware light fixture scored on Craigslist

View immediately upon entering house - notice view straight through to backyard

Original living room - floors refinished, new paint and trim, fireplace surround to be redone in the future

Other side of living room/entry

Office - Hardwood floor added, new paint and light fixture

Front hallway - Double-door laundry closet converted to single-door closet with air intake vent

Front bathroom - window removed for addition, new floor and shower tile, new tub, toilet, and light

Guest bedroom - window removed for addition, floor refinished, new paint and light fixture

Other side of guest bedroom

Nursery - floor refinished, new paint and light fixture

Other side of nursery

Entrance into kitchen/dining/great room

Kitchen & Dining Room - Merged original kitchen and dining area into kitchen, added dining area 

Pantry - all new

New Laundry Room - Used washer and dryer scored from traveling friends!

New Half Bathroom - Loving the black penny hex tile with charcoal grout

Additional view of half bath

View from other side of new great room - our vision of a light-filled airy room was achieved!

New Master Bedroom - fireplace and door to back porch

View from other side of master bedroom - privacy wall added since room is off main area

(picture missing - master walk-through closet)

New Master Bathroom - A work in progress on moving day

Master bathroom - massive double shower

Another view of the master bathroom

Back porch - This photo was taken about a week before we moved in. The beams and railings were painted white. The floor was stained after we moved in.

Another view of the porch

Davis - 2 months

You are two months old. One-sixth of a year old. Seems so insignificant - yet so significant. Some time during this past month, when we weren't looking, you changed from a cuddly, squishy newborn to an incredibly alert and social infant. You're going to be a little boy before we know it. While we look forward to the days where we don't have to wipe your butt or schedule our days around your feedings and sleep schedule, we are going to miss cradling your tiny body in our arms and staring into your adorable face. Who knew a simple smile from a baby could bring so much happiness?

These pictures were taken on the very special quilt CoCo made for you. If you look closely, you'll see turtles and alligators embroidered into the fabric. We chose these specific photos because they show some of your developments this month. The one on the left shows your gaze and the one on right shows you enjoying some tummy time.

At five weeks you started smiling. Daddy had been waiting anxiously for this moment. He loves to hold you close to his face and do everything he can to make you smile. You also started "talking" (babbling) around this time. You have a really alert time for about an hour after each meal. During this time you do tummy time, sit in your bouncer, and babble. You love tummy time, though lately you've started immediately rolling onto your back instead of hanging out on your tummy.

Your full vision came in somewhere between weeks five and six. Overtime we walk into a room, especially if its a new place, you look around in amazement. Soaking in what you're seeing inch by inch.

We had your one-month check-up when you were five and half weeks old (Dr. Ankrah was on vacation). You weighed in at 10 pounds, 10 ounces (55th percentile) and measured 22.13 inches long (62nd percentile). And we figured out why you hate having things on your head - it's huge! It measured 16 inches in circumference (99th percentile)! You got a vaccine shot in your thigh and screamed. It was probably more traumatic for mom than it was for you. Overall Dr. Ankrah said you are developing perfectly - you must have read the book on where you should be developmentally because you've hit all the milestones.

By six weeks you were consistently sleeping six hours - sometimes going as long as seven or eight. Your typically eat at 4 am, 8 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, and 8 pm. Your nighttime sleep is 8 to 8 and your naps, when you'll take them, are around 10 am, 1 pm, and 4 pm. In the last week or so you've started to push that schedule an hour earlier, preferring to start the night time routine at 7 pm. It used to take about an hour to get you to fall asleep at night (we would go in every 10 minutes or so to comfort you, give you a pacifier, etc), but now we just put you down when you're done eating and you get yourself to sleep. Sometimes you stay awake in the crib for an hour, but you are quiet and entertain yourself until you fall asleep. We're getting to the point now where most of the time you just fall asleep almost immediately.

We did our first family trip when you were seven weeks old. Mommy's friend, Lisette, was having her bachelorette party in Asheville, NC. Mommy wasn't ready to leave you for the weekend, so all three of us (Tad stayed with Brad & Steve) rented a place near the girls. Mommy went back and forth between her boys and her girls throughout the weekend. You got to spend a lot of quality time alone with daddy. We were nervous you were going to be thrown off of your schedule due to the travel, but you did quite well. So far you've been a very adaptable baby.

At eight weeks you and mommy spent two nights alone at home without daddy. Daddy went to Ocean City, MD for an annual boys trip. Mommy was nervous but you were really good and things went well.

At eight and a half weeks we were supposed to finally (FINALLY!) move into Norcross. CoCo and Aunt Bailey came into town to help us with the move. Unfortunately, the house still wasn't ready... We're hoping to move later this week when you are nine weeks old. Although we didn't move, they were a huge help getting the house packed up and they loved seeing your smiling face. We were pretty stressed about the house and that stress seemed to get passed on to you.

We're still adjusting to being a family of four, but we're close to understanding our new normal. I'm sure things will be turned upside down during the move. I hope you love our new home as much as we do.

Davis - 1 month

Davis hit 1 month on July 26, 2014. Since his two week update, he has learned to "blow bubbles," spit up his entire meal after eating, and sleep 6 hours straight (but not consistently...). I never realized how entertaining watching an infant could be. We especially love watching him wake up - his stretches, yawns, farts, and faces are adorable. Yes - even the farts.

Davis has also met more people that love him. Lisette, Nora, Anna, Jeff, Ompah (Grandpa Griswold), and Mimi (Terri). On my birthday (July 23) we brought him along to Zada Jane's for leisurely breakfast. We sat outside and he was perfect. We also brought him along to another restaurant for drinks on the patio - that outing was a little less successful. We had a number of friends over on my birthday and Davis loved all the attention. We're slowly figuring out how to do our pre-baby activities with baby.

CoCo (Grandma Fitzpatrick) visited for a few days again. Mom and dad got to go on a date while she was here. Davis loved spending time with her. Lulu (CoCo's pup) also tagged along. At first Lulu and Tad didn't get along, but they loved each other by the end of the few days.

Later in the month Ompah and Mimi visited. Davis loved being held by both of them and they couldn't keep their eyes off of him. Love all around.

Still no schedule yet, but we do have a bit of a routine down. We wake up between 6 and 8. Eat. Change. Kilborne Acres/park walk before 9, if possible. Nap during/after walk. Eat around 10. Play for a bit. Change. Nap. Mom does chores. Eat around 1. Change. Snuggle. Nap. Mom tries to rest/nap too. Eat around 4. Change. Active time! Dad gets home. Bouncer and/or carrier while we prep dinner. Bouncer and/or carseat while mom and dad eat dinner. Eat around 7. Change. Evening walk - often in Plaza Midwood after we visit Norcross to check on the progress at the house. Eat around 9 (you like to eat more frequently at night...). Change. Fussy time! Eat again around 11. Sleep 'til 4! Repeat.

These photos were taken in our backyard at Sheridan. We loved bringing Davis home to Sheridan but we're also looking forward to our new home. We hope the two month update will be written from there!

Colors

Drywall is up and floors are down. This means we're getting to the exciting part of the renovations at Norcross - finishes! One of the big decisions that will impact the feel of the house is colors - floor colors, cabinet colors, tile colors, trim colors, grout colors, wall colors.... who knew there were so many color decisions to make!

We've settled on our paint colors. They are pretty neutral. It's hard to know what color you really want until you are in a space and really experience it. We hope we love the colors and don't need to make any changes but we'll see.

For the interior - Behr Subtle Touch will touch most spaces (living room, hallways, full bathrooms, bedroom 2/guest room, kitchen, pantry, laundry room, and dining area). We have this in a number of our rooms at Sheridan and love it. We'll also keep the same master bedroom color we have at Sheridan - Behr Porpoise. The great room will be Gladden Silver Birch. On screen it looks tan but in person it looks more like a very soft grey. All safe colors so far. The office and bedroom 1/nursery are where we're taking a bit more of a chance with Glidden Blue-Grey Slate. The half bath, trim and closets will be white.

For the exterior we've selected three colors: Glidden Shady Blue for the body of the house, Behr Stately White for the trim, and Behr Starless Night for the accents (doors, shutters, etc).

Davis - Your First Two Weeks

Davis Rittenhouse Griswold. You made a dramatic entrance into our world on June 26, 2015 at 2:13 a.m - 10 days after your due date. 8 lbs 5 oz. We immediately fell in love. Although it's only been two weeks, we can't imagine our world without you.

In these pictures you are basking in the morning light that streams through our living room picture window. In the picture on the right you are laying on one of the blankets that Great Grandma Rittenhouse knitted for you. She is the Grandma you are named after, Winifred Davis Rittenhouse.

We took these pictures during a morning walk in Kilbourne park. In the picture on the left you are laying in the hole 11 disc golf basket - the one daddy threw a hole in one into. He believes your conception and the hole in one happened at the same time... In the picture on the right you are making your classic grumpy Grandpa face. I think you inherited this from me - sorry!

A stream of consciousness about your first two weeks: 

• We call you tree frog because of the way you like to lay during skin to skin time with mommy and daddy, which seems to calm you. At just over a week you started to be able to see more with your eyes. We noticed you opening them up more widely and looking around. You love looking out windows. You also love the outdoors. Sometimes when you're really fussy dad takes you out and you immediately calm. We think you like the warmth of the fresh air and the sounds of the birds and bugs (especially the cicadas). You also really like walks. The bumpier the better so we try to take you "off roading" in Kilbourne park. When you're in a cuddly mood but we have work to do we tie you to one of us using the sleepy wrap. You cuddle up on our chests and usually fall asleep while we do chores. 
• You and Tad seem to be getting along okay. He's definitely curious and a bit jealous. We think he'll like you more when you're a toddler and able to play with him. He used to get nervous and hide when you cried - now he sits near you until you calm. He wants to protect you.
• You eat a lot. Nearly 3 ounces every 2 hours. That's what most 1 month olds eat. Your appetite and mama's ample breast milk supply are why you were up over your birth weight in less than a week. Based on daddy's precise weight calculations (using the bathroom scale) you were 9.5 pounds by day 12. That's a pound gained! 
• You sleep a lot. Except at bedtime when we want you to... You'll sleep for nearly four hour stretches once you are down - but a 2-3 hour nap is more typical.
• You require lots of love and attention, but you're a good baby overall. You are so sweet and usually only cry when you need something - food, attention, a clean diaper, to pass some gas...
• Noise doesn't seem to bother you. You startle a bit sometimes when Tad suddenly barks loudly at the UPS delivery person (we've been ordering a lot of stuff from Amazon) but quickly return to whatever it was you were doing. We've even had you in the bouncer next to the blender while you were sleeping - you didn't seem to notice. 
• You've met lots of people that loved you before they met you. Aunt Jill was there the moment you came into the world. Then CoCo (Grandma Fitzpatrick) arrived on your third day. Aunt Bailey came at 6 days. A parade of friends and neighbors came by to meet you and bring food and gifts. Neighbors Janice, Ethel, and Brad & Steve. Friends Alice (and Brennan!), the Funderburgs, Annelise, and Tim. 
• We've completed a number of successful outings. The first (besides your trip home on your second day) was a visit to our soon-to-be new home on Norcross on your third day. On your fourth day we went to the pediatrician (you are thriving and don't need to be seen again for a month!). On your fifth and 7th days we went to see a lactation consultant (let's just say - Ow!), and some time during your second week we went to ReStore. Of course, we also took lots of walks - typically one in the morning and one in the evening. 
• You don't like things on your head, getting dressed (see first item since getting dressed usually involves putting a onesie over your head), daddy's cold hands, or schedules (you like to eat, sleep, cuddle on your own time, not when we want you to).

Taking care of you is exhausting. But you're worth it.