Flashback Part I - Preparing for March 1st, 2004

As my son’s first birthday approaches (just a few weeks away), I’m finding myself thinking back to those final days of pregnancy, as we prepared for "the arrival." We knew our lives would change, but it’s hard to imagine what it will be like til you experience it. Incredible. Overwhelming. Exhausting. Miraculous. Those are a few of the words I’d use to describe how our lives have changed since our little boy arrived. But I’m not going to get all sappy on you today. I’m going to tell you about the home-improvement project we undertook, just before our son’s birth.

Being the practical gal that I am, I had specific wants before the baby’s arrival. I wanted a crib, a car seat, and a glider rocker. To be expected, I suppose. Unlike many expectant moms, I didn’t want a room redone as a nursery. It would have been nice if we'd gotten to paint his room, but it didn't happen. The 2 things I wanted were a dishwasher and a generator. How incredibly boring, huh? I know. I realized that we wouldn't be going out to eat all the time after the baby arrived; we'd be doing more cooking & eating at home, so we'd need a dishwasher. And since I was due March 1st, I was afraid of coming home from the hospital to an ice storm that would knock out our power. I'm not really paranoid... those things do happen here.

We got the generator, and it was easy enough to pick out a dishwasher. But in this old house (circa 1929), the cabinets weren't ones that could accommodate a dishwasher. In fact, the kitchen was in dire need of a facelift. This was my house before we were married, and I hadn't done anything to it by the time my handyman husband moved in. He thought, why not replace the lower cabinets, to start updating the kitchen & to accommodate the dishwasher. Well, OK. The counter top was old & ugly and needed to be replaced... and while we're at it, the sink, and oh, the floor was really bad. And then there was the electrical system; no where near the number of outlets & circuits that were needed.

Anyway, there was a lot of talk about the kitchen. There were sketches of possible redesigns... while we were at it! There were many trips to home improvement stores to check out cabinets, countertop, flooring, hardware... Oh, and let me tell you, when you're immensely pregnant, as I was for all of this, there are places for you to sit down at those stores:  on the display toilets. I frequently wandered off to rest there.

I didn't think this would actually happen before the baby... time was getting tight. Tick tock went the huge kicking baby clock in my belly.

6 weeks before my due date, I heard the sound of a power tool in the kitchen. The kitchen project had begun. My husband was removing the floor. Yes, 6 weeks before the baby was expected to arrive, the gutting of our kitchen began. This was right around the time that I was crazily getting things in order. Before I knew it, the refrigerator was relocated to the dining room, and there was talk of removing the lower cabinets. We hadn't yet ordered the replacement cabinets, and I was nervous! What if we have no kitchen to bring the baby home to?! I insisted that we have a functional kitchen when the baby arrived. Have I mentioned that my husband doesn't hire work out? He does it all himself!

How would it all come together? I was nervous about having a baby and stressed about having our kitchen torn up... that was just one year ago.

More on this in the coming days... I'll let you know how it went... In the meantime, here are a couple of pictures of the "projects" that were underway at that time: January 2004.

Floor removed...old cabinets still in place

So long cabinets

Mama awaits baby and dishwasher!

Comments

[Anita]

Ok, Marie, you must be a total glutton for punishment. I can't wait to see the after pictures and the dates of completion. If your husband delivered his baby before you delivered yours, I'll be very impressed with him.

[Muppet]

You sound like me and my husband. We NEVER do things the "normal" way. :)

[Jennifer]

I nominated you for "Michelle Sent Me."

http://www.micheleagnew.com/main/2005/01/the_twoblog_com.html#comments

Hope you have a lovely day! I can't wait to see who wins the baby race!

[Marie]

Anita,
Welcome to my life ;-) Sit tight & I'll reveal the rest....

Muppet,
What's normal? My husband is indeed very handy, and I'm often his assistant. I am not particularly handy; I'm generally the gopher. For the kitchen project, I was mainly a bump on a log... for obvious reasons. He's a very unconventional guy, so while it may drive me nuts now & then, I try to go with the flow. :-)

Jennifer,
How very very kind of you! I'm so flattered! When I first read your comment, I got a Blue Screen of Death on my computer. Please, oh please pray (or wish, or write a haiku) that my computer doesn't self-destruct if I am indeed chosen as one of Michele's sites of the day!!! Thank you so much for the nomination!

[Leslie]

HA.. My fridge was in the dining room yesterday while Mr. Flinger painted. Now? All the cupboard doors are off. My house looks a little like your pictures at this point.

But at least my baby is already out! I think I'd freak at 6 weeks prior. I was busy reorganizing closets at 6 weeks before LB showed up.

[melantha]

Hi, Michele sent me (by way of Jennifer). Your house looks great - what an improvement!

[Karin]

Hahaha. I'm relating well to this one. We MOVED the weekend I was in the hospital giving birth and I got a very much needed C-section (she had her head in the wrong position and wasn't moving out of it.) I couldn't even pack my own personal things because I was put on bedrest at 36 weeks (and she came late.) I can hardly wait to hear the rest.

[Jody HalstedJ]

We had to add rooms into the basement for office space before Brenna arrived. Her room was barely finished by the time she made her appearance. Why do those things always take so much longer than they should?

BTW, my space isn't done yet! :)

[Bluegrass Mama]

What??? You can't leave us hanging like this!

[Meredith]

6 weeks before the baby and the remodeling commences?! Egads... I can't imagine. I'm four days past due date and the biggest project I can imagine undertaking is getting my car out from underneath the buckets of snow... Sigh. Happy almost birthday to your kiddo!

[Marie]

Sorry to leave y'all hanging!! I had computer trouble last night... the thing was scanning for days... OK, hours, but still. Part 2 is coming shortly! I got up early just to write it!

Leslie, I'll have to get back to your site to read on the progress at your house! And oh, there was freaking out. Yes, there was a lot of freaking out by me. My husband was very calm... maybe denial? Don't know. Trust me... tantrums, tears, freaking. It's only now that I can look back & laugh.

Karin, Oh boy! Moving an entire house. I can't even begin to imagine... I ended up with a C too... I'll get to that part of the tale eventually :-)

Jody, Soooo much longer. Isn't that the truth!!!??

BGM, I know! I know! I'm typing fast here...

Meredith, Now that's a big enough project!
Thanks for the birthday wishes... you'll be welcoming your little Eli very soon!!!