A "new" trike

Sophia got a hand-me-down Schwinn tricycle from her buddy, Ethan. (Thanks, Ethan!)  It is so adorable, although, I don’t think it’s really the best fit for her.  It has a bulky metal frame which makes it a heavy trike.  Sophia’s poor little legs will have to work extra hard to get this trike moving.  It is, however, a beautiful trike.  And she will grow into it, I am sure.  She was a little intimidated, at first, but warmed up to it a few hours later. 

Checking out the trike

Mommy, push me there.

Go, go, go

Reno update - 2.5 weeks

Two and a half weeks in, our both our kitchen and bathroom have been stripped down to the studs, the electrical and insulation have been upgraded, plumbing adjusted as needed, the wiring for the heated floor has been installed, and new walls and ceiling have been put in place.  Our new bath tub is also in place already.  That’s a lot of progress in a short time!  We have selected the tiles for the floors and walls, as well as the fixtures for the tub and sinks.  So many decisions!  it is exciting to see it come together. 

Kitchen before the reno

Kitchen demolition

Kitchen a week into the reno

Bathroom before the reno

Tub before the reno

Tub area demolition

Living in a one-bedroom basement suite has been interesting.  It feels a little like camping where you have just the bare essentials for everything.  Aside from sleeping fitfully the first night, Sophia has embraced the new living arrangements with aplomb.  I think Sophia is really enjoying it because I am always within ten feet from her.  I was washing dishes the other day and she was playing, about six feet from me.  Then I feel her feet on the back of my legs and I look down to find her laying down by my feet holding her toy and blankie, smiling up at me.  I guess six feet was still a little too far for her liking.

Kitchen and bathroom renovation

Ed and I have talked about renovating our kitchen and bathroom since we moved into our townhouse seven years ago and it is finally happening. Yay! Dean, our contractor, and his guy Ben started demolition last Wednesday morning. The kitchen was cleared out by Wed evening. The wall by the front door is gone, too, so you are able to see the whole kitchen area the moment you walk in the door. As of this morning, the drywall are all gone and you can see the studs. Dean will be installing new insulation since the original one would not pass today's building code. No wonder our house is always cold!

Demolition has started.

We didn't want to live in a construction site so we have moved to Ed's Aunt Jennifer's basement suite, not too far from our place. I was in Venezuela last week for work and I got back Saturday night. We had to be moved out by Tuesday night. It was crazy busy getting things packed and moved. I am glad that part is over. The basement suite is a one bedroom suite and it is cozy. But it is better than living in a construction zone with a toddler. Our poor cats are staying in our townhouse, though. We cleared out the guest bedroom and have made it a cat room where they can hang out during the day. Dean lets them out before he leaves for the day. Ed and I alternate going to the house to feed the cats in the morning and evening.

Estimated completion is end of July. Very exciting! There are so many decisions to make - appliances, tiles, sinks, faucets, toilet, tub, counters, cabinets, etc, etc. All these details that I’ve never ever thought of. I find it stressful because we will have to live with whatever we pick for years to come. But we have a timeline to adhere to and decisions need to be made. It’s tiring to think of all these details and imagine what the kitchen and bathroom would look like when all these pieces are put together. Dean assures me that we’ve made good choices so far. It sure is hard to be productive at work when all I want to do is look at kitchen and bathroom photos all day!