an Avery video

Well, it took 10 months, but we finally found the login information to our blog. I thought we'd celebrate by posting a video or two from this last weekend.

nursery update

Jake and I recommitted ourselves to finishing the nursery after a much-needed break.  And while there are still several components awaiting completion, here's a peek at our progress.

adding can lights.  thanks dad.

almost finished.
just re-installing the light fixture in the center of the room.

time to build the crib!

i found these wall decals online.  applying them turned out to be a much more difficult project than ether of us planned but we LOVE the end result.  there are several scattered around the room.

a look at the crib wall

a close-up of the forest friends mobile i found on etsy

homage to hermit

From one baby shower to the next - there's no rest for the Bacon/Dixon/Zener fams.  Last weekend it was Hermit's turn to take center stage.  Several months ago, Jake and I agreed to a couple's baby shower with one caveat: Jake would see to it that it wasn't a stereotypical baby shower to which guys just happened to be invited.

With Kait leading the charge, Jake, Emily, Emily, Todd & Dennis pulled together a fantastic event from the custom invitations to the 5 specialty beers and delicious spread.  It was our perfect idea of a shower - an evening with close friends and family and no games.  We are grateful to be able to share this time in our lives with them and to know that they will be part of the community that will help raise our child.  

the food table: greek meatballs, pesto chicken skewers & beef satay, crab tartlets, artichoke nibbles, cheese & salami platter, green salad with apples & cashews, mixed greens with avocado, orange and cilantro, and Trophy cupcakes

beer selection: (from big e brewery) hoppy red head & scotch ale
(from schooner exact) king street brown, 3 grid ipa & gateway golden ale

celebrating brynn, jem & impending baby zener

With Brynn's due date a mere 3 weeks away (and counting), I spent last weekend celebrating with a baby shower in Spokane. My Mom, Cass and I were the hosts and were determined to see B's vision of a tea party come to life.  Twenty three friends and family gathered for tea & tea sandwiches, mimosas & cake. It was a lovely afternoon and the perfect way to welcome baby Z.
Brynn, you were (and are) absolutely beautiful and I cannot wait to see your dream of becoming a mom come to fruition.

  

status report

Over the last couple of weeks, Jake and I have been steadily chipping away at our to-do list and have been (mostly) energized by the progress.  There's nothing like a looming deadline to kick our butts in gear.  As you can see from the pictures below, the nursery is quickly becoming, according to Jacob, the nicest room in the house.  To which I respond, "Don't all parents want their kids to be better off than they were?"

new paint and light fixture

replacing the base molding

Jake's first miter cut!

In addition to the nursery, Jake has installed 2 new bathroom vanities and is in progress of refinishing a dresser for the guest bedroom.

Speaking of our little "deadline", Hermit has been my ever-present companion kicking and nudging me throughout the day. Based on my expanding waistline, it's hard to believe there's not more than enough room for the little one.

guess who's tummy

 

Here's a hint...

bun(ana) in the oven

I've been feeling hermit move around for a little over a week now.  In the mornings and evenings (when the baby is most active), Jake will put his hand on my belly, ask for silence, and concentrate very hard, but has not been able to feel hermit kick....until today!  Hermit has been kicking/punching/maybe headbutting a bit harder and Jake felt three strong lovetaps this morning.  Hermit is 20 weeks and 5 days and is roughly the size of a banana (7 in, 11 oz) this week.  We're not sure how the girth went from that of a mango to a banana in one week.  We don't pretend to think that we are expecting a skinny baby, not with our gift of thighs.  Perhaps these produce analogies have some room for error/interpretation.

Alternate post titles included kung fu banana, bajannas, banana split, banana's dixon, did you hear the one with the banana, holy bananas, 20 week old banana, banana sunday (good one for tomorrow) and that's bananas.