Showered

Last Saturday my parents hosted a small baby shower-ish gathering for our Southern California family and friends. With so many people are around, we definitely didn't get quality one-on-one time with anyone (felt very similar to our wedding in that way). All the same, we're touched that so many people showed up to celebrate the impending babies Loveridge.

The expectant parents:

Lisa prepares a display of ultrasound pictures, some little toys, a guestbook and awesome tiny Vans crib shoes:

I impatiently sit on the couch with my feet up to bring the swelling down, while I'd really rather be doing... well... anything:

In more pre-shower activities, Steve makes me lunch:

My brother does his homework:

Steve works on ginger lemonade for the gathering:

I didn't deputize anyone to take charge of photography, so some of our guests were missed. If you were there and don't appear in these pictures, please know that it's not an intentional omission. I only realized after some guests had left that I should send Steve around with the camera and make people pose for pictures on the way out.

My nephews teach me to play their video games (Plants vs. Zombies):

Me and Steve with Steve's brother Philip, lovely wife Jenny and their boys:

With Steve's sister Natalie and yet more adorable niece and nephew action:

With Kristi (my friend since first grade... things have changed a bit over the years) and her fabulous husband Matt:

My mom chats with Kristi, Kristi's mom Susie, and Kristi and Matt's fantastic daughter:

I do have the most stunning smile (with friends Travis, Melissa, and Lindsay):

I'm sure Travis and Melissa will love me for posting this picture, but their expressions just delight me:

Scott, Eric, Gail (and her awesome rainbow hair) hang out in the kitchen with my brother's wife Brooke (and her awesome red hair):

Flower arrangements Brooke put together:

I didn't manage to get pictures taken of Brooke actually preparing those beautiful flower arrangements or setting out cookies she and my brother brought especially for the shower. They, along with my parents, did a lot of work behind the scenes to make everything so lovely.

Scott looks on while Steve opens a gift for the kiddos:

Matt, Lindsay, Travis, Melissa and Natalie chat with me:

I was completely exhausted and overwhelmed that day, but it was fantastic to see everyone.

As we bid farewell to my parents on Sunday (after they treated us to Greek brunch and took us out shopping for yet more baby gear) I told them that next time we'd bring the grandkids. I didn't even think about that remark before I said it. Steve and I discussed on the drive home how we were both struck by how we're sitting on the cusp of such momentous change. The idea that the boys will be here in two months or so still seems somewhat abstract. But the fact that we're probably not going to be in Southern California again until after their arrival... that somehow feels more concrete and startling.

Hopefully the boys will think car rides to Southern California are fun, so all our shower guests can make those kids feel as loved as we've felt.

Ravages of Age (or the common cold)

Poor Steve was sick on his birthday yesterday. I did what I could and brought him some rice pudding with a birthday candle in it. It's the thought that counts.

The Cabinets Within

When our new HVAC system was installed, the crew pulled out our old wall heater but we asked them not to patch the hole. We had schemes.

The project begins! (Steve uses a utility knife to score the picture rail):

Demolition of the stud bays shows fun old-house features including fully-dimensional lumber (the 2x4's are actually 2 inches by 4 inches, unlike today's lumber) and the backside of lath-and-plaster walls (and the far less interesting remainder of exhaust vent for the now-gone heater):

Accessing the previously inexplicably sealed-off bulkhead from the refrigerator cubby in the kitchen, Steve pulls off lath while my dad looks on:

Another view of Steve in the wall:

Framing has started and Steve chips off the plaster which has seeped through the gaps in the lath allowing lauan (very thin wood sheets to create a smooth surface) to be applied:

2 lauan back panels in place:

My folks, Steve and I went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore here in Santa Cruz (one of our favorite outings, the volunteer staff quite literally know us there) in hopes of finding some old cabinet doors we could refurbish for this project. We hit the jackpot, yay ReStore!

Steve attaches the cabinet doors for a fit test (they will be sanded and repainted later):

Steve will be doing the slow work of patching, sanding, painting, repairing the baseboard, and adding shelves over the next several weeks, but here's the current status:

The high bulkhead storage will contain infrequently used items we don't wish to store in the attic. The skinny cabinet below will house display items in the upper open portion and likely stuff for the kids in the lower portion.

In a related project...

The previously sealed-off bulkhead Steve was perched in above runs behind the wall between the living room and kitchen. In addition to the living room access, we decided to cut an opening from the kitchen side as well, creating a recessed cabinet.

Steve prepares to cut the kitchen opening:

Pulling off the lath:

Maybe staring at it will help?

Cozy working quarters (Steve frames out the cabinet from within the refrigerator cubby):

Fantastic ReStore find (not just doors like in the living room, but a fully-trimmed cabinet front) goes into place:

Current status:

While all this was going on, I worked on some little projects of my own. Years ago, when the church I grew up in got rid of their preschool, some old wooden toys were headed for the dumpster. I swiped a train, truck and a couple boats. At the time, I thought it was a bit silly of me to take both nearly identical boats (in hindsight... well...), but I just couldn't see them thrown away.

I sand the boats:

My mom paints the boats while I stencil kelp onto an Ikea bin rack which will hold the kids' toys:

Current status on the boats (I will continue to paint them so I can feel productive while Steve does finish work on the cabinets):

We've collected all the necessary nursery furniture for the boys, so as soon as the various sanding projects are complete, we'll start putting that together. Things are really going to look different around here soon...

Me and My Boys

My parents were in town the past two weekends helping Steve and me work on a variety of projects (blog posts to come once the finish work is done). It occurred to me that the last picture of me and Steve together was from way back at Christmas, so my dad took this quick shot for us in front of one mostly-finished project (new in-wall cabinets for display and to store kid stuff):

I'm rounding out my 23rd week. I can feel the littles roll around and poke my internal organs regularly. I'm physically pretty uncomfortable and in the past few days have developed the charming new symptom of painful swollen feet, which forces me to be vigilant about how much time I spend standing or walking, much to my frustration. I'm definitely not a fan of pregnancy, but even in my grumpiest moments, it's always in the back of my head how much I already adore my boys. And I know there will eventually come a day when I can once again button my flannel.